What the Heart Wants
by Lady-Ravenhawk
Summary: Resurrection. Rebirth. A reawakening and clearing away of unquestioned dogma leads Chichi to assess the life she's lived until this point. After accepting responsibility for her past actions, she now finds herself on a path to atonement. A new, unexpected romance brings her the courage to face her demons, break free of the past, and finally end the curse placed on her so long ago.
1. A Chance Encounter

Chichi hung her head as she followed her husband out of the back room at the police station. She hurt all over as fresh bruises bloomed on her skin. The split in her lip was twice as bad as it had been before and she was relatively sure that one of her teeth was now loose. Even with her blood on his knuckles, Maxwell strutted through the police station, completely unashamed of the fact that he'd just beaten her for trying to file a restraining order. Not a one of the officers looked Chichi's way, but they greeted Maxwell like an old friend. She couldn't believe it.

She felt her heart skip as she saw the front doors. Maybe once they were outside, she could make a run for it. He may have been cocky inside the police station where he'd obviously paid everyone off, but would he still feel the same way out on the street where potential clients could see him? She doubted it. After all, that was the whole reason they were married. So that he could project the image of being a family man, of not being a threat to other men's wives because he had one of his own. It was all a disgusting ruse she'd fallen into.

As soon as they were outside, Chichi ran. She had no direction in mind, just to put as much space between herself and her abusive husband as possible. The frosty air made her face sting as she sprinted down the sidewalk. For one fleeting moment, she thought she'd managed it, but then she felt his fingers snarl into her hair and she cried out as she was yanked painfully backwards. "Maxwell, please! Just let me go!" she begged, trying not to sob.

"Look around you stupid cunt," he hissed at her, clenching his fingers tightly in her hair and jerked her to scan the street. "Do you see anyone? No. The police aren't coming to your rescue. No one is. I knew where you were the entire time after you left the house this morning. I knew you called your friend, I know where you met for lunch. I even know that you took a dump in the restaurant bathrooms. Do you really think I would leave it to chance that people would be out here on the street in front of the station? Do you think I like wasting my resources on a stupid bitch like you because you just won't accept your goddamn place in the world?" He shook her hard, "Do you?!"

"No!" she squeaked out, tears burning her eyes again. She clawed at his hand in her hair, but he refused to let go. She felt helpless then; she was truly trapped. She was going to spend the rest of her life stuck with this horrible man and there was nothing she could do about it. A cry escaped her then as the reality of it all settled in. Her fate was sealed. She would never break the curse that had been placed on her all those years ago. And there was no undoing it; she didn't even know if the old witch was still alive at this point. "Maxwell, stop! Please! I won't run again. You're hurting me! Please stop!"

Maxwell reached his hand back and slapped her across the face again. "Good! I want you to hurt. Your words are lies to me. We are going back to the house and you are going to spend the rest of the day locked in a bedroom while you think about what you've done. I might even handcuff you to the bed so I know you won't try to jump out the window. Then we will see how you are feeling in the morning." He growled and threw her at the side of the waiting car. "Now get the fuck in the car."

"Hey, asshole. Step away from the little lady before I break your face."

Chichi felt all the air rush from her lungs as she hit the car and slid down the side of it. She squinted up at the tall silhouette before her, disbelief washing over her. Oh, of all people to come to her rescue. Still, she wasn't picky at this point. She'd have welcomed the sight of anyone in that moment, as long as it meant Maxwell didn't hit her again. Fresh blood trickled down her chin and she wiped at her face before she spoke. "Mr. Satan?" she asked, not knowing what to think.

Maxwell growled at the martial artist that stood in front of him. What the hell was he doing out here? He glanced down the road, seeing some of his hired men lying sprawled on the ground. So much for keeping the street clear. "Move along, Champ. I don't care if you saved the world from the aliens, from Cell or whatever else. This doesn't concern you. I'm dealing with my ungrateful wife. Fuck off."

Hercule puffed his chest out and he strode forward, unafraid of the man and put himself between him and the woman on the ground. "Now, call me crazy, but this sure is a funny way of dealing with a wife. A way that I'm sure you know that I don't approve of. So if you don't want to see your ugly mug posted all over the six o'clock news, I'd suggest you get in your car before I make some calls of my own."

Chichi forced herself up, using the car behind her to get to her feet. She was relieved that at least someone was there to defend her, yet at the same time, it only made her more fearful. Maxwell would be livid that someone dared question him. Especially about her. "It's okay," she said in a timid voice. She pulled her purse up on her shoulder and looked down at the sidewalk, pieces of her black hair falling from the bun, making her look terribly disheveled. She pushed the pieces back, trying to get them to stay in place. She sucked her lip, warring with herself. Part of her wanted to hide behind Mr. Satan; the other part was afraid to defy Maxwell now that she knew just truly how much influence he had over the city. No, it was better to just go home and take her punishment and hope that Maxwell would go out with one of his girlfriends for the night and leave her alone. "It's just a misunderstanding. It's not as bad as it looks," she lied.

Maxwell snorted as he straightened his jacket. He glared at Mr. Satan. "You are one to talk about ugly mugs. I'm surprised the cameras don't break every time they snap a picture of your unshaven, broken nosed face," he spat and moved as if he was going to reach behind Hercule and grab Chichi. "You have ears and I assume a brain somewhere in that big head of yours. The lady says she's fine."

Hercule stepped in front of Maxwell's hand and grabbed the wrist tightly, squeezing hard. "Oh, I don't know. You know how we fighting types are. I might have been hit too many times in the brain, and my hearing might be going. You'll have to speak louder," he growled out as he pushed the man back. "I'll be taking the little lady with me, seeing as you have seemed to forget how to treat this one without hurting her."

Chichi could see the rage in Maxwell's eyes. It sent a terrified jolt down her spine. How would she ever get out of this mess? "Really, I'm okay," she said. Oh, how she wished she could let Mr. Satan take her away from this. But she knew she couldn't. Maxwell would track her down, make her suffer even more for it. This whole plan was stupid. She shouldn't have filed any paperwork; she should've just disappeared. She mentally shook herself as she realized even that was impossible. Maxwell had far too much money and influence in their city. He could get away with anything. She edged around to stand closer to Hercule's side, but not too close to him. She couldn't forget who he was, the man who had taken all of Goku and Gohan's credit for Cell. That had always bothered her. "Maxwell, I'm sorry. I… I won't file for divorce. Let's just put this behind us. Please? We can work this out," she said, loathing the words that fell from her lips. But she would do anything to avoid being beaten again. She was tired of hurting. Yet it made her feel weak to give up so easily.

"There, you see you big oaf? It's all just a big misunderstanding." He narrowed his eyes at Chichi, his blood boiling as he considered Hercule the next moment. His mind was going all sorts of places and none of them were very kindly towards the Champ who had just somehow saved the world from the aliens. "Not everyone needs saving in that mind of yours, but I'll understand if you are a bit slow on the uptake."

Hercule snorted and shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, if that's the way you want to play it. I am inviting this lovely woman to my house for dinner. Call it a promotional gig or whatever. My random person for the day who just won. I will be deeply insulted if she says no and I am sure the press would love to have a field day for that one. Make your choice there, slick. I'll have her back before dark."

Chichi blinked in surprise. Hercule was really taking her to dinner? She was dumbstruck. It would certainly get her away from Maxwell for a bit. Maybe if he had time to cool down, she could smooth this over until she hired a lawyer and found a safe place to stay. Then again, nowhere in this city seemed safe now. Not with the police in Maxwell's pocket. She would have to go somewhere far away where his influence couldn't reach.

"Maybe that would be best," she said nervously, her eyes flicking back and forth between the two men. "We could both take a few hours to calm down, clear our heads." She looked around at the people who were starting to fill the sidewalks again, glancing curiously at Maxwell's guards on the ground or admiring Hercule with awe. "I think it would be best if no one made a scene here," she suggested firmly.

Maxwell growled as people began to trickle in past his unconscious guards. He was going to have them fired later for being so easily overcome by some celebrity. The star struck fools. He moved his hand, slicking back his hair and straightening his suit once more and forced the words out of his mouth, "Yes, she would be the fool to turn you down on such a generous offer." He wanted to murder the Champ for forcing his hand like this. "I will see you at home, my _dear_," he bit out before he moved and quickly got into his car, driving away.

Hercule let out the breath he was holding before he carefully touched the woman's shoulder. "This way. My car is just around the corner." He laughed, "Good thing I decided to personally check out the location of the next women's shelter. I saw his guards turning people away from the streets and figured there was nothing good going on there!" he said as they made it to his limo and he opened the back door for her. "Ladies first."

Chichi had mechanically walked with him, not trusting Maxwell. She half expected him to turn around and run her down with his car. She blinked now at Hercule, not understanding. "Wait, what?" she asked, confused. "Mr. Satan, you really don't have to take me to dinner. I understand that that was all just a ruse to get me away from my husband. I do appreciate your help, but I wasn't honestly expecting you to treat me. I'll be alright on my own from here."

Hercule raised an eyebrow at her. "Little Lady, I am, if anything, a man of my word. I said I would treat you to dinner, so I will treat you to dinner. I'm going to have my head of house look at your wounds and make sure they are bandaged up all right. Then we will see about getting you those divorce papers? Restraining order? Both?" He chuckled, "Relax, I swear I'm not going to hurt you. Sarah up there, the driver, she'd kick my ass if I did anything. Not to mention Ryan and Madeline would have my ass too."

"We're going to your house?" Chichi asked, surprised. Not that she had expected any of this to happen, but she certainly hadn't expected that. She hesitated, looking worriedly back down the street. She would definitely be safer with Mr. Satan than she would out on the street on her own. With a nod, she got quickly into the limo and slid over to the opposite door. Normally she would've been impressed by such luxury, but not now. It surprised her how little it mattered to her now. She looked over at him as he got in and shut the door. "Are you sure this is okay? I don't want to cause problems for you."

Hercule chuckled and tapped on the window separating the driver from them and the car started moving. "Of course it's alright. It was the only thing I could think of to get him away from you," he said as he turned, looking over the wounds her face and he winced on her behalf. "I'll have my staff take a look at those and get you fixed up. Then we can figure out where the best place for you to go would be. I hope you don't mind that I stepped in. Even us hero types have to help those in need. That's what makes us who we are!"

"I don't mind that you stepped in. Thank you for that," she said. "He's just really angry right now." She touched her face, feeling the bruises there. It hurt, but she could deal with it. "You don't have to bother anyone. This is nothing. I can fix it with makeup. Trust me, I've dealt with worse." She cringed internally on instinct; Maxwell threw a fit if she mentioned any time he'd hit her before. She'd tried to train herself not to bring up the past, but sometimes it slipped. She forced herself to look over at him and gave a tiny smile. "Really. I'm okay."

Hercule rubbed at his face as she admitted the truth. "It's never okay when someone hurts another person just because they can or because they are angry. I've dealt with worse and I think I'll sleep easier at night knowing I did what I could to help you as much I could," he said quietly as he looked out the window as the car sped home. "Seriously, after Cell, after the aliens, this is nothing. I got this."

Chichi had to force herself not to roll her eyes. Yes, Cell. The aliens. She knew better. Even though no one had told her, she was certain that he'd had nothing to do with the fall of the aliens. That was Goku. Or Gohan. One of their family or all of them had been the ones to stop that threat to the earth. She chewed at her nails as she looked out the window, trying to figure out what she would do once this "dinner" with the champ was over. She sat stiffly in the seat, feeling very out of her element. Never in a million years did she dream that she would be in a car with Hercule Satan. "So you do this often?" she asked. "Picking up damsels in distress on the street?"

Hercule chuckled and looked over at her. "Nah, not often at all. I rarely see anything like that out on the streets. If I did, I'm sure it would be a more regular occurrence, but let's face it. It's going to be a dark day when more of those become commonplace. I think we can do without. I really was just passing through and when his lackeys wouldn't let me by, I knew something was up and then I heard you and him fighting," he said as he saw his house come up in the distance. "Madeline has this special balm she can use on those wounds. I use the stuff so much after my fights. It's like magic."

* * *

Chichi remained quiet as they pulled up in front of Hercule's mansion. She'd seen it from a distance before and had always thought it was a gorgeous place. But that was before. She'd been envious of his money, of the wealth he'd received after claiming to have saved the world. That should've been her family's money. But now it didn't matter to her. She didn't care if she ended up in a tiny apartment with no luxuries at all, so long as she was free from her husband.

They were greeted at the door by Madeline, a young-looking woman with a pretty, round face and dark brown hair. Chichi lingered near the door as Hercule briefly told Madeline who she was and what had happened on the street. She tugged on the torn sleeve of her dress, pulling it up to cover her shoulder. She knew she had to look horrible. All she wanted was to wash her face, fix her hair, and try to cover up the marks Maxwell had left behind. "Sorry to impose," she apologized to both of them and looked down at the marble floor. "I do appreciate the help, though."

Madeline sucked in a breath of air as she saw the woman after Hercule explained the situation to her. "Oh you big oaf. Go on then, I'll make sure she is patched up. Ryan is in the training room if you want to work off some steam," she said as she gingerly reached out and cupped the woman's hand in her own. "Come on then, miss. This way." She led her further into the house. She shook her head and waved away other servants who came to her for questions. "Later," she said quietly before leading Chichi into her own room. She turned on the lights and led her to the bathroom, "Here, have a seat on the toilet and I'll take a look at those cuts."

"This really isn't necessary," Chichi insisted. She caught a glance of herself in the mirror. Sure, it looked bad, but she'd been through much worse. She hadn't ended up in the hospital yet this time, and in her mind that made it not too bad. "The marks just show more because I'm pale. Really. It's not as bad as it looks." The words rolled easily off her tongue, she'd said them so many times before to nurses, doctors, whoever accidentally saw her after a row with Maxwell. At least this time she didn't have to lie about falling down the stairs.

Madeline hummed at her as she got down the usual supplies. Mostly from whenever Hercule had a bad match or Ryan picked a fight with someone she shouldn't have. "Might have to get the eye doctor in here while I am at it." She mentally scolded herself. Victims of abuse like this didn't want to blame the abuser. She turned back to the woman, setting the kit on the sink. "You can stop. He can't hurt you anymore. Not here," she said as she wet a wash cloth with warm water and carefully took Chichi's face in hand. "Let me know if it's too hot."

Chichi let her eyes fall closed as the heat from the cloth seemed to seep into her face. "It's fine," she said softly. It was strange to think that she was safe here. She couldn't remember the last time she felt safe. Without opening her eyes, she pulled the tie from her hair, then quickly slicked it back up into its usual bun. It felt better like that, having her hair tight against her head. She'd always worn it like that before because it kept her hair out of her face while doing housework, but after years with Maxwell she'd learned it also made it harder for him to grab her by the hair. "This is really nice of him. He didn't have to do all of this," she said quietly as she opened her eyes again and Madeline moved the washcloth to a different part of her face.

Madeline smiled warmly at the woman. "You are one of the lucky ones. He's never done this before. Never. He either finds them when it's too late or helps them through other means, like the shelters and charities," she said as she finished washing away the blood and cleaned up the cuts so she could better see what she needed to do. Her face was bruised and she knew which areas were going to turn colors. She reached for a small jar of cool cream and dipped her fingers into it before she gently passed over the swollen areas on her face, taking her time as she did so. "No one deserves to be beaten like this."

It surprised Chichi to hear someone say that. Maxwell always told her it was her fault that he hit her. And it seemed even her own children thought the same; Gohan had never stood up to Maxwell for her even though he knew what was happening. He'd known for years and had never said a word. She pulled back slightly from Madeline, blinking in curiosity at her. "Sometimes they do," she said softly. She looked down at her hands in her lap. "I thought that, maybe, somehow, things would change after that mess with the aliens. But it didn't. I guess this is just my fate," she said with a shrug.

Madeline gave Chichi a sad smile, reaching up and tucking a stray strand of hair behind the older woman's ear. "Only if you want it to be. Everyone has the power to change their fate. You just have to believe it. Whatever you've done, whatever you think you've done, more pain cannot be the answer," she said quietly as she soothed the cream around Chichi's eye with her thumb.

Chichi swallowed the moan of relief as the cold cream spread over her skin. It seemed to numb the pain almost instantly and left a pleasant tingling on her skin. "Oh wow," she whispered. She let Madeline spread the rest of it over her face before she pulled back. "Thank you," she said quietly and got up to look in the mirror. She cringed at the way she looked, the ugly bruises on her face. She dug quickly in her purse for the makeup she carried with her and hurriedly worked to cover the marks. She had to admit, she'd gotten rather good at that. And she'd learned to always carry some with her in case it got smudged or washed off while she was out in public. She checked her hair, making sure all of it was in place before she gave an approving nod. "That's better."

Madeline watched her carefully, noting how well the other woman flawlessly covered up the marks on her skin. It made her sick as she wondered how long she had been doing that to become so proficient at it. She managed a smile for the other woman. "Come, let's sneak into the kitchens and grab a snack before dinner is ready," she suggested mischievously. "We also have a wide variety of drinks to choose from," she said, slipping back into her head of house manner, "Oh, would you like to change? I think you and I are about the same size." She paused on her way out, detouring to the wardrobe.

Chichi didn't know what to say as she followed Madeline. The rip in the shoulder of her dress bothered her, but she wasn't sure about borrowing clothes from the younger woman either. She barely had time to think on it before Madeline handed her a nice sweater and a pair of jeans. It wasn't exactly Chichi's style, but she thanked her anyway and quickly changed her clothes in the adjacent bathroom. She threw her ruined dress in the trash. She didn't want it anymore anyway. Not after today.

The sweater was warm and impossibly soft against her skin. She wasn't sure she wanted to give it back, to be honest. But she told Madeline she'd return the clothes just as soon as she was able, then followed her down to the kitchen. "Wow," she breathed as they entered. "This looks like what I'd imagine a fancy restaurant would have for a kitchen."

Madeline smiled at Chichi. "Twenty-four hour kitchen. The Champ's request. Everyone's running around at different times, training and working, so he always wanted to make sure the staff had something to eat." She waved her hand in the air to go on. She went around the edge, taking a pot of hot water from a chef who offered it to her and she quickly set up a small tea tray with little cookies. She gave a wink at Chichi before she led them back out into the larger dining room. "Sit, relax. You look as though you are ready to bolt at the first given opportunity. No need to run here."

Chichi sat stiffly in the high-backed chair and accepted a cup of tea. "Out of my element," she admitted quietly. From the little bit of what she'd seen, Hercule's mansion was even more extravagant than she'd expected. Every inch of it just seemed to exude luxury, comfort, and expense. It was all a bit over the top, unnecessary. It surprised her to find herself thinking so. Perhaps she'd changed even more than she realized. "I need to find somewhere to go. Is there a hotel or something you recommend around here? I wish I could go home and get my clothes and things, though," she said.

Madeline fixed her own cup of tea before she settled down across from Chichi. She pulled out a small notepad and a pen, jotting a few things down. "Right, this is just temporary of course. Hercule said you had some unique circumstances. Maxwell is your husband? I'll have some more information on him before the night is out. The rich ones with an ego and a sense of entitlement are the worst," she said bitterly. She pressed her lips together and looked up at Chichi, smiling, "The shelters that Hercule has helped build around the area are the safest places to be. Full gyms, kitchens, private rooms, bathrooms. Top notch security. Anything to keep unwanted abusers away from women and children."

Chichi immediately shook her head. It didn't matter how hurt or humiliated Maxwell made her feel, she still had a sense of pride. She wasn't about to go to a women's shelter. The very idea made her want to cry. She didn't want to go and be around a bunch of other women who were abused. She pictured tiny rooms with mothers and their children, all of it gloomy and depressing. No, she would have no part of that. "I don't think I want to go to a shelter," she said and sipped her tea. "Really, I have some money on me. I can find another place to stay until I get this all sorted out. Leave space there for other women who don't have options like I do."

Madeline raised an eyebrow at that. She remembered Tora's reaction to the shelter before they took him inside to see it. "Oh dear, you haven't seen one of these shelters, have you?" She gave the woman a smile as she poured some milk into her tea. "They are more like hotels than shelters. In suite bathrooms, spas, kitchens bigger than the one here. Open all the time, known for having some of the best comfort food on the face of the planet. We have volunteer counsellors and educators that come in weekly. Really, you must reconsider or hold off judgment until you see one. It's all free as well."

Chichi chewed her lip and instantly regretted it as she nicked the split there again. "I'll think about it," she said, though she'd pretty well made up her mind that she didn't want to go to such a place. She shifted uneasily in her chair, looking around the dining room again, hoping to change the subject. "It's even nicer in here than I imagined," she said. An amused smile played across her lips. "Even Maxwell would be jealous." He always hated anyone richer than him. There was something satisfying to her to know it was Mr. Satan who had rescued her from him that day.

Madeline looked around and nodded. "Thank you. I try to stay on most of the decor. If Hercule had it his way, there would be a great deal of martial arts baubles lying around. Nope, not on my watch. I did give him a nice den of his own to play with, comfy armchair, dark room, television, whatnot. Gotta have some place for him to relax when he's not out there helping people or at the tournaments. Most of the money comes from donations. He gives it right back to his charity, but there's always more," she said as she studied Chichi. She had a good vibe from the woman, the way she held herself. She just wished she could get the other to open up, to relax. "I suppose, after everything you have been through, it's okay to be a bit uneasy. If you like, lunch can just be Hercule and you. Or just yourself if you would like some time to your own thoughts. Though, we will have to discuss what to do for you sooner or later. I imagine it's going to take a little bit longer than normal for those documents to be sent over. Maxwell strikes me as the kind of man to throw up all kinds of red tape if it will help himself."

Chichi nodded. Maxwell wouldn't make this easy at all. "I don't mind eating lunch with Mr. Satan," she said. "It seems incredibly rude to have a meal at his house and expect him not to eat at his own table." She gave a little laugh. "That wouldn't be proper at all! I wouldn't dare be such an ungracious houseguest." Even if she didn't think much of the world champion, she refused to make a bad impression in his home. She gave a startled jump as the door opened, but it was only Hercule. She quickly placed her hands in her lap to hide how they shook as she fought to calm her breathing. It was like she just expected Maxwell to jump out at any given second.

Madeline smiled at Hercule before she gave Chichi an understanding look. "These are very unique circumstances. If it makes you uncomfortable, we can just tell the big brute to leave," she teased, winking over her shoulder at her boss.

Hercule shook his head. "Never good to see two women plotting together in the same room." He smiled at Chichi, "You are looking much better, Little Lady. How did that cream feel? You want to take some with you until the swelling goes down? I tried to use it on my chin, but I'm still waiting for it to shrink." He laughed at his own bad joke, ducking when Madeline chucked a little cookie at him.

"It was nice, thank you," she answered, grateful that her voice didn't shake. "I don't think I need any more though. I'll be alright." She shook her head slightly as he merely picked up the thrown cookie off the table and ate it. He confused her. He seemed to have calmed a bit from the loud, boisterous man she knew from television, yet she could still see it in him at the same time. She didn't know what to think of him. "I was just telling Madeline how nice your home is," she complimented him, thinking of small talk, trying to turn the attention away from herself. If there was one thing Maxwell had taught her to do well, it was to keep the attention off of her, maintain a polite demeanor for any clients of his she met or had dinner with.

Hercule moved to sit down across from Chichi as the staff brought out dinner. Roasted pork with a thick brown gravy, mashed potatoes with butter and sour cream on the side and some skillet green beans, still glistening with butter. He leaned his head on his hand as he studied Chichi for a moment. "Thanks, Madeline is the one who really runs the whole thing; I'd be lost without her by my side," he said, laughing.

Madeline shook her head, pausing as she had a forkful of potatoes halfway to her mouth. "Is Ryan not joining us to eat?"

Hercule huffed and used a spoon to push in his potatoes so he could pour gravy over them. "Oh, no. He's got his panties in a twist today," he said with a knowing look, laughing with Madeline at the joke. He wanted to talk about their next plan. What to do with the woman now sitting across from him. He had a hunch that she wouldn't eat if they talked about it, so it could wait.

Chichi felt weird not having to cook her own food. She was expected to prepare Maxwell's dinner every night. He didn't take her out to restaurants anymore unless it was a dinner meeting for his work. He only took his girlfriends out to dinner now. And even on those nights, she still had to cook for herself. "This is really a treat," she said. "This food is amazing. You must have a five-star chef in that kitchen."

Hercule chuckled. "I'm trying to, but I keep getting turned down offers. We don't have many house parties for anything, but the staff need to eat," he said as he chewed slowly for a moment, watching as everyone ate in only slightly uncomfortable silence. "Eat as much as you like. They cook to feed a small army."

Chichi finished what was on her plate and didn't ask for more. "So, ah, I suppose I should call a taxi or something," she said, reaching for her purse which she'd sat on the floor next to her. She pulled out her cell and frowned at the number of missed calls she had from Maxwell. There were numerous texts, and none of which did anything to make her feel better. Threats about what he would do to her if she didn't come home. How Mr. Satan couldn't hide her or protect her forever. "On second thought, maybe I should go home," she said quietly.

Madeline exchanged a glance between Hercule before she set down her fork and looked at Chichi, glancing at the phone in her hands. "Dear, he is just going to hurt you again. There's going to be a time when he hurts you and there won't be anyone around to save you. Stay at a shelter, get the divorce papers going, a restraining order. Something."

Hercule shook his head. "She can't. That guy has been blocking her from filing any sort of paperwork. I think he's got a few higher ups in his pockets as well," he said quietly as he thought, the buzzing of Chichi's phone going off again caught his attention and he sat up straighter, reaching across the table. "Do you mind if I have a word with him? Man to man talk."

Chichi's eyes widened in alarm. "I don't think that'd be a good idea," she said quickly and set the phone in her lap where it continued to buzz. "He's, you know, probably calling to apologize," she lied. She almost cringed. If Hercule dealt with other abused women, he'd probably heard it all a million times over. "I just don't want to make him more angry than he already is. I have to go back to the house. I don't have anything with me. I wasn't expecting all of this to happen today. I thought after the police station, I'd be able to go back and get my belongings. I just wanted a few things. My clothes and some things that belonged to my parents. It's all I have left of them; that means more to me than anything else." She looked down as the phone began to buzz again. "Oh would you quit calling?" she hissed and hit the ignore button. It was useless. He'd call again. She knew he would.

Hercule pressed his lips together and nodded. "Okay, so I think what you will need to do is go back to the house, get your stuff together and then skip town for a while. Get away from him and his poison until the divorce can be finalized." He looked at Madeline. "Phil is on call tonight, right? He's a good, safe driver. He will make sure you get in and out without any trouble." He said as he looked back at Chichi, spying the number on the screen that kept calling her. He held out his hand again and this time, Chichi reluctantly handed over the phone. "Madeline, would you be a dear and get my lawyers in touch with Chichi?" he asked before he answered the phone in an overly cheery voice.

"Mr. Satan," Maxwell said coldly into the speaker. He clenched his hand into a fist before he relaxed it and looked out over his front yard. "It is almost dark, you did promise that my wife would be returned to be before then. You are running out of time."

Hercule had heard this before, the tone, the threat. "Ah, yeah, about that. Change of plans, I'm sending her back, but she is only going to be there long enough to collect her things and then my driver is going to take her where ever she wants. No clue where that will be. Oh, I know you'll have the car followed. Big men like you don't much care to leave the little ladies alone. What you do is disgusting and if you were a real man, I'd settle this with a good old punch out. Just don't forget, you aren't the only one with connections and I have a feeling mine like me better."

"She is my wife! Or did you just think I would forget that fact? I'll claim that it's kidnapping and then I'll have the great Hercule Satan arrested for kidnapping a woman. How do you think that will look to your press?"

"Oh don't worry about that. Since the police on your end of town seem to have their hands full of your money, I am going to have my lawyers draw up the needed papers. They will be filled out and all you have to do is sign them. Then you can go about your merry way. How does that sound?"

Maxwell saw red, it was clouding his vision and he took a moment before he calmed his breathing and spoke into the phone, a composed business man once again. "Oh, very well, if you must. Do be quick about it; I have plans for the evening," he said as he thought of all the ways he would like to kill that man for getting in his way. He would start by cutting off that smug smile on his face. He clicked his phone off and exhaled carefully before he punched the wall.

Hercule handed the phone back over to Chichi and blinked at the women who were staring at him, "What?"

"Was… was he really angry?" Chichi asked timidly, feeling her nerves starting to fray again. She was afraid to go back in the house by herself. But those few mementos were important to her, irreplaceable. And she couldn't very well go about finding a place to live without her own clothing. Madeline's clothes were alright, but they were a little tight and not her style at all.

Hercule shook his head. "Well, he didn't sound like it, but I know how they like to play tricks. Phil will walk you into the house and stay by your side while you collect your things." He scratched at his head, "And then he can take you wherever you want, road trip, airport. Whatever you like. My lawyers will send your husband the papers and if he hasn't signed them and sent them back, I'll pay him a little visit. That goes for you too, Little Lady, you give me a call some time so I know you are doing alright."

Chichi felt her cheeks burn ever so slightly at the nickname he'd been calling her all day. She didn't know why she liked it, but she did. There was something likable about this side of Hercule who truly seemed concerned over her safety. He wasn't bragging or yelling, but spoke to her as if they were just normal people. She met his brilliant blue eyes and gave a nod. "I will, Mr. Satan. Thank you for everything. It means a lot to me," she said.

He gave her his best grin and stood up. "I'll go let Phil know about the trip then. When you are ready, have Madeline take you to front of the house. He'll be waiting," he said before he turned and exited the room.

Madeline chuckled, "Gods, that man cannot stop playing hero even if his life depended on it." She shook her head and smiled at Chichi. "Sorry about that, he has a thick head and doesn't often stop to think."

"He's okay," Chichi said as she watched him leave. Part of her was almost sorry to see him go. She shook her head, snapping herself out of whatever line of thinking that was. She was grateful to have on so much makeup to hide her bruises; it often hid her blush as well. She got up and picked up her dishes. "I'll be ready to go just as soon as I help clean up," she said. "I don't want to leave a mess."

Madeline raised an eyebrow at her and gently reached out, placing a hand on Chichi's wrist. "Ah, ah! You are our guest and guests do not pick up after themselves. The busters will get jealous," she teased, looking over her shoulder back at the door that led to the kitchens. A head was sticking out looking to see if they were finished. "Come, you've been through enough for today," she said as she took a napkin and wrapped a few of the cookies leftover from tea in them and tucked them into Chichi's purse.

Chichi almost protested, but Madeline took her gently by the elbow and steered her towards the front door. "Thanks again for everything," she said quietly to Madeline. "I do appreciate it. I'll change my clothes when I get home and I'll send these back to you with the driver. Take care."

She hurried out the door and down the steps to the waiting car, muttering thanks to the driver who held the door open for her. She gave him the address and settled back in the seat of the car, thinking over what she would do next. First she had to get past Maxwell and get back out of the house without causing problems. Once that was done, the rest would be easy. She shivered again as she thought about all the disgusting things he'd said earlier. Anyone who was turned on by that sort of thing had to be absolutely depraved. She wouldn't spend another night in that place with that man. Not one.

She let out a slow exhale through pursed lips when they finally pulled up in front of Maxwell's home. It terrified her to think of him waiting inside for her. But she had to do this. It would be better to just get it done and over with. Then maybe she could get to work on making herself a better person, on changing her fate. Hope flickered in her heart again and the tiniest smile tugged at her lips. She strode forward and opened the front door, not even bothering to call out to Maxwell as she made a beeline for the bedroom.

Phil moved quietly behind Chichi, checking around corners they passed and paused outside the door to Chichi's room. "It appears to be clear, Miss, though I would prefer we do not linger," he said as he watched her go around and started putting clothes and small objects into a case. "That is not very mu..." He choked off as he felt large hands close around his neck, squeezing with intent. He tried to yell and he kicked out, banging the door in front of him as he reached up to claw at the fingers cutting off his air supply. He felt his eyeballs bulge out from the sheer pressure.

Maxwell let all of his anger go into his fingers as he strangled the man in front of him. "It's a shame. I much would have rather killed that stupid buffoon!" he spat as the man finally went still in his grasp. With a quick twist, he snapped the man's neck and tossed the body into the room with Chichi. "Just had to let him take you to dinner, put all these hope filled ideas in your head. Do you see what you've made me do?" He exhaled and straightened his tie. "Can't very well report this to the police, then the whole question of why comes into play and that man will never let me hear the end of it."

Chichi stumbled back in horror. "You killed him!" she cried. "He was just a car driver, he did nothing to you!" She'd barely spoken a word to the man who drove her home, but now she felt sorry for him. She squared her shoulders at her husband. "There are people expecting me. If I don't show up soon, they'll know something happened to me. They'll know that you did it. Even you don't have enough money to buy off everyone in the world, Maxwell. Someone will catch you and make you pay. Eventually," she said, sounding bolder than she felt.

"You and I both know that there is no one waiting for you. Besides, if anyone comes by, I'll just say that I haven't seen you or anyone." He sighed as he stared calmly at her. "Though, I suppose I will have to find something to do with you. Maybe keep you drugged up so we can go out in public together without you making a scene. I will have to figure something out to fix this mess that you've made," he muttered as he moved the foot of the driver to the side so he could close the door. "You need to think long and hard about the future, Chichi. I'll leave you to cool off and we will talk later," he said as he moved and shut the door behind him, locking it tightly. He looked to the room thermostat out in the main hallway and paused just for a moment before he punched in a code and turned down the temperature for that side of the house. "I wonder how long it will take for the body to freeze at 32 degrees."


	2. Rescuing Chichi

Hercule, despite what some of his non fans would believe, did actually have a life beyond that of the ring. He didn't take home women by the droves, though he well could have. He didn't spend hours working on his hair or rewatching his matches on TV. Mostly, when his time wasn't being taken up by his work in the ring, he was working on the charity he had taken close to his heart. He would often have classes where he would train women, for free, how to defend themselves with basic maneuvers. He would be calling shelters to see if they were low on any supplies. Most of all, he would help contact the police and help lines, should anyone need it.

Now, this woman he had helped on the sidewalk was starting to bother him. From his contacts, she hadn't been seen anywhere, hadn't checked into one of the women's shelters. No one had heard anything from his driver, either. He hadn't worried about it too much at first, thinking perhaps Chichi had found a place to stay far away and that it would take a day or two to get there. Still, someone should've checked in with him, let him know they hadn't run into any problems.

There had also been no word or sign of the divorce papers he had "asked" Mister Maxwell to sign. He snorted, figures that would be the case. He had been reading up on him. Nasty piece of work he was. His record was clean, but Hercule had his suspicions that was because of the man's connections and money. He liked to change women as if they were pairs of underwear. It was a shock that he had taken a bride, but it was obvious to Hercule that had just been for show any way. To help stop the rumors of him and his lady friends. He couldn't stop the scowl that appeared on his face at that fact. "Dammit all!" he said before he flung the papers across the room and leaned back in his chair.

* * *

Chichi paced the bedroom, her body aching all over from the recent beating Maxwell had given her. She regretted going to the police station now and she regretted even more that Hercule had intervened. She was sure he only meant well, but it had enraged Maxwell all the more. As soon as he'd dealt with the driver's body, he had grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the guest bedroom to remind her that she was his, that she still had "wifely duties" to perform, and then had beaten the hell out of her as soon as he was done. As if killing that poor driver and then turning down the thermostat so the frigid winter air made the room nearly freezing wasn't enough.

She hissed as she gingerly touched the bruise on her cheekbone, her skin split open from where his ring hit her. She wanted to cry, but crying only made her hurt worse. She rubbed at her wrists as she continued to pace. She wanted out of there so bad, but she was frightened to try to leave. The door was locked and Maxwell had that damn security system; he would see her if she tried to escape out the window, she was sure of it.

Her heart skipped when she heard the chime of the doorbell. Maybe someone was stopping by to check on her? She prayed that they would. Her relationship with Bulma was slightly better, but her heart sank as she realized she didn't speak with her often enough for Bulma to be concerned about not hearing from her for only a few days. Her breath caught in her throat when she heard Maxwell answer the door and the voice that spoke back to him. She'd recognize that booming tone anywhere. Hercule had really come to check on her?

* * *

Hercule was less than impressed with the man that had answered the door, recognizing him as the one who had been terrorizing Chichi that day when he intervened. He couldn't stop the scowl that appeared on his face. This man reminded him of his own father. "So I'll make this short. You must be real busy if you haven't had time to send me a copy of those divorce papers. I'm assuming the Little Lady is still around somewhere?"

Maxwell gave a lazy smirk. "There's no papers to send. We've reconciled. As a matter of fact, she isn't here at the moment. I sent her on a little vacation to a spa resort. Sort of an I'm sorry gift," he lied smoothly, leaning against the doorframe. He gave Hercule a sweeping look. "It's real touching that the Champ took time to come and check on her, though. I'll be sure to let her know that you were concerned."

Hercule's eyes narrowed the moment Maxwell started speaking. He knew his own reputation and the way he would act around the crowds left most believing he didn't have very many brain cells left in his body. "You must think I'm as dumb as a bag of rocks." He had heard that lie before, from the very lips of his own father in more or less the same phrase. He knew damn well what it meant. "You've been beating her again and you don't want anyone to see. If you don't want my lawyers up your ass, you'd damn well better get on those divorce papers. If not, then have the decency to let her out of her damn cage. She's a grown woman, isn't she? And if she loves you, really loves you, she'll come back, won't she? Or are you afraid she'll find some friends who will tell her that the shiner on her face isn't a symbol of your undying love?"

Maxwell gave an amused snort. "I'm not afraid of your lawyers. Don't forget, you're not the only one around here with money. You try to cause trouble for me, and I'll screw you over twice as hard. Remember, you're the one the press wants to hear rumors about. I could bury you in scandals by the end of the week and keep your lawyers so busy, they won't have time to screw with me. My wife is not your concern. Now if you'll excuse me, Champ, I have a business to run. I don't have time to go running around trying to play the knight in shining armor for every sob story some little bitch makes up." And without giving Hercule a chance to say another word, he slammed the door in his face.

Chichi's heart sank as she heard Maxwell's footsteps fade away down the hall. She leaned her forehead on the door, fighting back the sob in her throat. Her one chance to escape this hell had just eluded her. Her mind was frantic, wondering if she could somehow get his attention, get him to see her and help her figure out a way out of this hell. The windows were locked, but she went to it anyway, straining to see if Hercule was still outside. She gasped in relief as she saw him there. She looked over her shoulder at the door to reassure herself that Maxwell wasn't behind her before she rapped her knuckles on the thick glass, hoping that Hercule would hear her. Surely he could figure out how to help her escape.

Hercule turned, the rapping on the glass not escaping him. He hurried towards the sound, spying the window where the little lady was frantically knocking on the glass to get his attention. His breath nearly left him as he saw the state she was in. Her hair all over the place, her lip was busted, her eye was blacker than ever and swollen. There was a cut on her cheekbone just below that. He cursed under his breath. There was also no sign of his driver or the car anywhere. Phil as most likely dead and that left a sick feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. He didn't fucking care about his reputation. He only had it because it was what men who abused women were usually afraid of. No one wanted to face a man who took down Cell, aliens and then helped at women's shelters to boot. His look steeled and he mouthed to her, afraid that Maxwell also had microphones installed around and not just the cameras, "I'll come back for you tonight."

Chichi's heart leapt and she nodded enthusiastically. She placed her hand against the glass and gave him a small smile before she waved at him to leave before they drew too much attention. She felt she could cry with relief. Somehow, she knew that he would help her get out of there. She turned to the room and ran her fingers through her hair. She frowned when her fingers caught in the tangles and she tried to comb through her raven strands with her hands. There was nothing she could do to prepare. She had no clothes in that room to pack, no personal belongings. Her stomach growled in hunger; she hadn't eaten in a few days. Not since she came home and Maxwell locked her in this room. The only thing she'd had was water from the bathroom tap.

Feeling weak, but excited at the same time, she crawled onto the bed and curled up to try to keep warm and to bide her time until Hercule returned.

* * *

"HA! HA! HA!" Ryan cried out with every punch and kick as she viciously attacked the punching bag that was suspended from the ceiling in the in-home gym of Hercule's house. She paused and swiped her dyed purple bangs from her forehead as she heard Hercule enter the house. She bounced over to the doorway and offered him a toothy smile. "Hey Champ!" she grinned brightly. "You wanna get your ass handed to you by your favorite student?" Her expression fell when she saw the anger in Hercule's eyes, the calculating frown he held. It was a rare thing to see him like that and she knew that something serious had happened. Her own expression turned dark. "Whose ass are we kickin'?"

Hercule's expression softened when he saw her. She could always lighten his mood. "I'm sure you've heard of that creep named Maxwell? That lady I helped the other day, I went to check on her since we didn't receive a copy of the divorce papers. Fucking creep lied to my face about sending her to a day spa, didn't believe that for a moment. She got my attention knocking on her bedroom window. That fucker looked like he gave her a new set of bruises and she seemed like she wanted out of there fast. So how would you feel about a little of breaking in and breaking out tonight?"

A wicked smirk split Ryan's face. "Oh, now that sounds like a good time," she purred. She remembered Hercule briefly talking about that woman and this Maxwell character. She didn't like the sounds of him at all. Pissing off a man like that sounded like a fun way to spend her evening. She clapped her hands together. "So! What's the game plan? Bust his door down and beat his face in until he's shittin' teeth for a week? Or are we gonna try to sneak her out without getting noticed?"

Hercule pressed his lips together. "Whatever gets her out of there with no more bruises than she's already got," he said. "Maybe bust down the window of that room I saw her in." He looked around the room. "What do you suppose that we will need for a breakout like that?" Hercule ran a hand through his curly hair, "Gonna need some of that cream on hand too, first aid kit when we get back. I'll tell the cooks to make something, maybe better wait til we get the little lady here. And maybe give the lawyers a call. Can you believe that guy threatened to stir up rumors about me to get him off his back?"

"Oh good lord," she said, rolling her eyes. "Let him try. How many other sleezeballs try that shit with you all the time? Like we don't know how to handle those idiots." She paused and tapped her lips thoughtfully with a finger. "Okay, so I'll throw a first aid kit in the car incase she's really banged up. We'll need a crowbar to pry the window open. Or a bat to bust it out. I'm guessing it's locked or she would've just crawled through, right?" She sighed and tossed aside the towel she had wrapped around her shoulders. "Come on, let's grab something from the kitchen and sit down to figure out our game plan. Don't worry. We'll get her out of there."

Hercule grinned. "I think he's got cameras on her or something. Who knows?" he said as he lead the way to the kitchen, giving a wave at one of the chefs who was busy standing over a hot stove. A moment later he was accepting two bowls of hot stew and he passed one to Ryan. "Did Madeline want to join us or did she go to bed early?"

"Nah, she had a migraine. She went to bed early. I'll check on her before we leave," Ryan answered. She grabbed a bowl and pulled it close, eating quickly as she thought over the plan. She fixed him with a questioning look. "So I have to ask. What's so special about this one? I mean, I know you go the extra mile to help out women who need it, but we've never gone to break one out of her own house before. What gives? This is, like, a whole new level for you."

Hercule ate his stew quickly, pausing as he thought over Ryan's question. "I'm not sure. I've seen horrible things. Women in worst shape than her. Not that it makes a difference. Any woman in danger like this is all the same in my eyes. But this one…" He shrugged, not really knowing what to say. There was something tugging at him, "I have a hunch, just a feeling. I need to help this one out. This Maxwell guy has connections. Even if we sent her to a shelter, I have a feeling that he would have her back before the hour was out. I am not doing that again."

"Fair enough," Ryan said as she finished off her food and looked up at him, wagging her eyebrows. "So, is she hot?" She snickered at the look he gave her. She always liked to tease him, sometimes threatening to steal away his female fans for herself. Anything to antagonize him. But she knew that it amused him more than irritated him. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself."

Hercule nearly rolled his eyes at her. "And what would Madeline have to say about that?" he teased back. "She's not bad looking, but I seriously doubt she wants to be considered like that right now. Let's get a crowbar and a few other things. I don't know when this guy goes to sleep, but I can't imagine we will have much time to get her out. Which one of my drivers is the fastest?"

"I got this," Ryan said, pulling out her phone and punching in a text message. "Anthony thinks he's one of those goddamn street-racers. He'll get us out of there quick. And he won't say a word about it to anyone. He owes me one." She smirked as she got a text back. "He says he'll meet us in the garage." She stood and moved to put their bowls in the sink before she clapped a hand to his shoulder. "Let's grab our stuff and get moving."

* * *

Hercule stared out the car window as they drove, the surroundings disappearing quickly. He turned the crowbar over in his hands before he looked over at Ryan who was favoring the Louisville slugger in her own. "You just want to smash something," he accused. He shook his head. "That's my girl."

Ryan grinned and wrenched the handle of the bat in her hands. "Just get in and get out as quick as we can. And hope Maxwell is a heavy sleeper." She was excited and nervous at the same time. She silently prayed that Maxwell wasn't armed. If he or a security guard around his house had a gun, they would be dead for sure. From what she'd heard about Maxwell, he wasn't the sort to give up easily. She hoped Hercule knew the can of worms he was opening. She breathed a nervous exhale as they slowed to a stop in front of the darkened house. "Ready?"

Hercule nodded, opening the door into the chill of the night air. He looked up at the darkened house, his frown returning full force. "Keep the engine running," he muttered to Anthony before he lead the way across the lawn. "This way. This first window here," he said pointing to the one he had seen Chichi in. He snorted at the dark window. "What is it those young kids do? Throw rocks? Do you think a crowbar works in this situation?"

"I don't think we need rocks, Champ," Ryan said, pointing at the window. She could see Chichi standing there, looking out at them.

Chichi could barely believe her eyes when she saw the car pull up in front of the house. She'd waited all evening for this. She didn't know who the young woman was that was with him, but in that moment, she didn't care. All she wanted was to be free of that house and the man she had called her husband for so long. She was so sore and hungry, so tired. She'd barely slept, thinking that at any moment Maxwell was going to come into her room and beat her again. She watched as they hurried closer to the house and the blonde with him pointed at the bottom of the window, apparently instructing Hercule how to pry the window open with the crowbar in his hands. "Please hurry, please hurry, please hurry," she whispered over and over, casting a nervous glance at the bedroom door.

Hercule did as he was told, giving Ryan a look. "Since when did you become the expert on breaking into houses?" he asked as he put his weight into the crowbar, grinning at the satisfying sound of the window starting to creak. "You're gonna hit this guy over the head if he shows up, right?" he asked, adjusting the crowbar and using it again, wincing at the pop he heard of the window. He felt the rush of the air conditioning rushing out, even colder than the frigid air outside. "Geez, it's freezing in there."

"You don't wanna know," Ryan answered, shivering against the cold rush of air. "Is he trying to freeze her to death? Shit." She looked up and saw the panicked look on Chichi's face. "Uh, you might want to hurry."

Chichi looked over her shoulder again as the doorknob jiggled and Maxwell's angry voice sounded from the other side of the door. "He's coming!" she cried softly, ready to try to wiggle her way through the open crack at the bottom of the window. She didn't care if she got hurt or not. If he came in and saw her trying to escape, if he caught her, she'd end up in the hospital again or worse. She wouldn't put it past him to kill her at this point, not after what she saw him do to Hercule's driver. "Please hurry!" she begged, tears welling in her eyes.

Hercule could see the way the door behind her was rattling and the way she was practically trying to will herself to become smaller so she could escape. He felt his resolution solidifying and with a roar he pushed the window open as wide as he could. No time for subtly now; they'd already been caught. "Come on! Come on!" he urged her on, watching as Ryan helped her get down. "Come on! Let's get to the car!" he shouted, letting the window fall down just as Maxwell burst into the room. He felt a grim satisfaction as he saw the look of anger on the other man's face.

Chichi nearly sobbed as Ryan pulled her out of the window and she struggled to run across the lawn. She could hear Maxwell raging behind her, pushing and slapping on the window in his fury. She glanced over her shoulder at him, but he had turned to go back through the house. Her legs were like jelly as she ran and she let Ryan practically throw her into the car just as Maxwell burst through the front door, screaming at her that she was a dead woman. For a moment, everything was pure chaos as Ryan and Hercule clambered into the car and the driver took off, then it went quiet as they hit the city streets, heading back towards Hercule's home.

Chichi didn't know what would happen next, where she would go or what she would do. She scooted to press herself into the corner of the seat, trying to take up as little space as possible. "Thank you," she said quietly without looking at them. She didn't know what else to say, what else to do. They'd quite possibly just saved her life. Somehow thank-you just didn't seem to cut it.

Hercule reached up, turning on the light in the back part of the car. He frowned at the new bruises that had been added to her face, her arms. She looked more like a scared animal that had just been beaten by its master. He pushed the first aid kit towards Ryan. "Probably should document some of that," he said softly. He didn't want to scare the little lady any more than she already was. He felt disgusted at Maxwell. Any man that touched a woman in this way was lower than dirt as far as he was concerned. "Tell us what you need, Little Lady. We will make sure you get it."

"I'm fine," Chichi answered a little too quickly. She cleared her throat and tried to sit up a little straighter as she tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear. "Really. I already owe you too much as it is for rescuing me." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, not really sure how to speak to him. She'd never been around a celebrity before and her opinion of him was uncertain at that point. She'd always heard Goku's friends refer to him as a pompous windbag and she had never been a fan of him for stealing Gohan's glory for defeating Cell. Yet this side of him was something the cameras never showed. He seemed calmer, more down to earth, and strangely compassionate. She didn't know what to think of him.

Ryan opened the first aid kit and grabbed some alcohol wipes, thinking that she needed to help Chichi clean her bloodied and bruised face. "That cock-sucker really did a number on you, huh?" she asked as she carefully wiped at the older woman's face. She cringed when Chichi hissed and she pulled back slightly before she dabbed at a split in her lip again. "Shit stings like a hive of angry bees. I know." She frowned as she looked Chichi over once she'd cleaned her face. "I don't know what else we can do until we get home. Put some of that cream on those bruises on her face. Let her get a hot shower, maybe."

Hercule nodded, an uncontrollable shiver worked its way down his spine as he remembered the cold room she had been put in. He rubbed at the stubble on his chin as he thought aloud, "This Maxwell person has his hands in a lot of honey pots. He could probably find her at any one of the shelters we could take her to. The only safe place I can think of would be at my house." He looked over at Chichi now that she was cleaned up a little bit. "How about some hot food? What would you like?"

Chichi finally looked at him, blinking her big dark eyes in surprise. "I… I can't ask you to-"

Ryan sighed and cut Chichi off. "There's no point in telling him no. He won't listen. He's too damn stubborn. So just take what he offers you and say thanks, would ya?"

Chichi blinked again and pressed her lips together. She felt horrible for accepting so much from a man she didn't know, but she was starving and tired with nowhere to go. She finally gave a tiny nod and looked at him again. "Anything's fine. I'm not picky," she said in a small voice. "And thank you, Mr. Satan. I'll find a way to repay you someday."

Hercule waved his hand at her. "Don't worry about it. And please, call me Hercule. I get enough of Mr. Satan in the ring," he said and nodded at Ryan. "And from this joker. You really think I'm that stubborn?" He fake pouted at her.

"Uhhhh, yeah!" Ryan answered dramatically in her best valley-girl voice. She snorted. "If she'd told you no, would you have listened? No. And you know it. And the only time I call you Mr. Satan is when I'm mocking your fangirls. Oh, Mr. Satan! Can I have your autograph, please?" she teased in a high-pitched tone, batting her eyes at him. She laughed and looked to Chichi. "Mr. Satan gets all the chicks," she snickered. She blinked innocently at the look Hercule gave her and she cringed as she giggled, "Don't hurt me!"

Hercule rolled his eyes, reaching out and messing up her hair. "That's enough out of you," he sighed, "Pay no attention to her, she's full of hot air. Now. You can stay as long as you want at the house, there's plenty of spare rooms so you can take your pick. We have an in house gym, pool, hot tub, whatever you like. We will see what we can do to free your demon."

Chichi was surprised at his generosity. "J-Just a meal and a place to sleep for the night would be more than enough," she answered timidly. Perhaps she could call Bulma in the morning, ask her for help. She forced herself not to sigh at the thought. Even though she and Bulma were on speaking terms again, she knew she wouldn't be welcome at Capsule Corp. The rest of the family was still no fan of hers. She didn't blame them one bit. She knew how horrible of a person she'd been before she died. An involuntary shudder shook her shoulders at the memory of her death. She'd thought that perhaps that was the end of Arthusia's curse, but no such luck. It was still plaguing her. She was starting to wonder if she would ever be free from it.

Hercule hopped out of the car and held the door open for both Ryan and Chichi. He reached out to help the latter out of the car, steadying her on her feet. "Easy does it now," he said. "What would you like first? Food, shower? Sleep?"

Chichi flinched when he touched her, a knee-jerk reaction. "Food would be nice," she said, feeling light-headed. She followed Ryan into the house and glanced around, once again taking in the expensive decor. There was a time in her life where she would've been drooling over such things. But now, she found that she really didn't care. The only thing she wanted was to feel safe again.

"I'm gonna go check on Maddie," Ryan said. She looked Chichi over and shook her head. "If it's alright with you, I'm gonna stay the night here," she said to Hercule. "Get that woman some food. She looks like she's about to fall over. And holler at me if you need anything, yeah?"

Hercule waved her on. "Don't you live here more than that apartment anyway?" he called after her before he shook his head and motioned for Chichi to follow him as he took her to the kitchen. He smiled at the cook that was still there, sipping at a cup of coffee. "Hey Barry, think you can heat up some of the stew from earlier?"

The cook looked over at him and shook his head, standing up before he put his coffee aside, "Afraid you missed out, the rest of the crew ate up while you and Ryan were gone. I'll make you something fresh. Any requests?" He looked behind Hercule, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the woman there, "I sure hope you got the bastard who did that." He bowed at the woman, "Miss, it will be my pleasure to cook for you. What would you like?"

Chichi ducked her head, letting her frazzled hair fall across her face to try to hide her bruises a bit. She didn't want to draw attention to herself like that. "I like stir-fry," she said quietly. "If that's not too much trouble, I mean." She chewed her bottom lip uncertainly and hissed the next second as she hit the big split in her lip. A sigh escaped her and she hugged her arms around herself, wishing that her life would just be normal for one day.

Barry started moving, pulling out a wok and set it on the stove. "I'll have it ready in a jiffy, Miss. You can go make yourself comfortable, I'll bring it out when it's ready," he said, shooing them off.

Hercule lead Chichi out to the dining room, pulling a chair out for her near the fireplace. He could see the unsure, untrusting look in her eyes and he wanted to curse at himself. Abused women were often wary of men and he was well known for his fighting. "I promise you, Little Lady, I won't lay a hand on you. I'm sorry this happened to you."

Chichi was surprised to hear that. No one had ever seemed sorry for her, not even Gohan after he found out what Maxwell was doing to her. "You're the first," she said as she sat down in the chair, wincing in pain. She swallowed harshly and blinked away the tears that formed in her eyes. Maxwell had demanded sex from her again that evening, and as always, he was way too rough with her. It made her feel dirty. He didn't love her; it was just another way of exerting his dominance over her, of proving that he practically owned her. She suddenly wished she'd asked for a shower first instead of food. She looked up at Hercule and managed a small smile for him. "You'd think I'd be used to this by now," she said, attempting to laugh, but there was no mirth in the sound that escaped her. "I just couldn't do it anymore."

Hercule felt his heart going out to her. He remembered his mother, the way she would take a beating from his father and then put on a smile like everything was alright. "No one should get used to that. No one should be okay with someone like that. Thanks for letting me help you. It's the first step," he said. He felt so bad for her. He could see the way she winced, the way she moved and held herself. She was guarded. "Let me see if I can find a painkiller for you," he said, turning around and going for one of the small tables a lamp sat on. He pulled out the little drawer and retrieved a small bottle. "One of the things about being a fighter, you learn to keep these things handy." He laughed and went back to her, handing it to her just as Barry came out of the kitchen carrying two heaping plates of stir-fry. "Thanks," he said, "I think we will be good for a while."

Barry nodded, reaching into his pockets after he set the food down in front of them, withdrawing two bottles of water. "Sorry they aren't in glasses. I'd need another pair of arms for that." He chuckled, turning and heading back into the kitchen, "You know where to find me if you need anything else."

Hercule reached over, opening up Chichi's bottle for her before he reached for his food and chopsticks. "All night kitchen. Just in case you know, hunger strikes whenever."

Chichi eagerly swallowed down the pills and gulped down the icy water. She gasped afterwards, feeling her throat soothe. "That's nice," she said with a small smile. The scent of the food hit her senses and her mouth watered. She grabbed up her chopsticks and began to eat, completely forgetting herself and her manners for a moment. It was so good, she couldn't seem to eat it fast enough. She paused when she saw Hercule watching her and she slowed down, chewing for a moment before she swallowed again. "Sorry," she apologized. "I haven't eaten in a few days."

Hercule frowned at that and shook his head. "That's not right." He looked down at his portion and her rapidly disappearing one. "You want mine too? I want to make sure you are well fed. I can't believe he was starving you on top of that." He eased up his grip on his chopsticks after he heard a small crack from them,."Eat as much as you want, however you want. You certainly won't offend me," he chuckled.

Chichi looked down at the food on her plate. "I think this will be plenty. Your cook was more than generous. Go ahead and eat yours," she said, a slight blush touching her nose and cheeks as she realized how she must've looked while shoveling the food into her mouth. She resumed eating, still eating faster than she normally would, but tried to keep herself from appearing completely ravenous. She felt the hunger in her stomach subside and she continued to eat until the plate was empty and her stomach more than full. "That was so good," she said, feeling sleepy for the first time in days. "Thank you so much for that. Really, I appreciate everything you've done. More than I could ever express."

Hercule chuckled as he finished eating , finally pushing his plate away when it was empty. He stood up and stretched. "Don't mention it. Now, let's see about finding you a room with a shower. I got some cream for those bruises when you finish up in there too," he said as he led the way out and down the hallway. "I'll have you down near Ryan and Madeline. They know what to do in case of a worst case scenario. Precautions and all that, you know," he said as he walked into a room with an open door and flicked on the lights, revealing a lavish room with a big bed and a fireplace. "Here we go. There's an en suite bathroom over there in the corner. Should be stocked with the essentials. I'll go bug Madeline, get you some clothes you can sleep in. There should be a bathrobe hanging on the door."

An overwhelming emotion of gratitude swept over Chichi. "This is too much," she whispered. She nearly groaned at how soft the bed looked, how warm and inviting those linens had to be. She knew a hot shower would feel amazing at this point. She saw Hercule turn to leave the room and she suddenly grabbed his hand to stop him. Her jaw dropped open slightly at her boldness and she released him. "Sorry," she said quietly. "I… I just really want to tell you how grateful I am. Thank you."

Hercule smiled at her, stopping short at her hand on his arm. "You're welcome, Little Lady. Don't you worry about a thing. You don't have to pay me back. It's good to know you're safe. Go get your shower. You look like you are itching to get at it." He chuckled, "I'll knock before I come back in, okay?"

"Okay," she answered and nodded as he finally left the room. It was odd, but part of her wanted him to stay with her. She didn't know why she felt safe with him, she didn't even know him. But she couldn't deny that there was something about this softer side of him that warmed her heart. Maybe he wasn't the loud, obnoxious persona that he portrayed on TV. Maybe that was all an act and this was the real Hercule that few people ever got to see. Oh well, it didn't matter. She wasn't planning on staying there very long to have the time to figure it out anyway.

She went to the bathroom and quickly got the hot water running. She gave a little squeak when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She looked horrible. Her face bruised and swollen, her cheek and lip split open. She shook her head, angry that she'd let herself become this woman. She stripped off her clothes and threw them in the trash. They were torn and had blood splatters on them anyway. And they would forever remind her of that week spent in Maxwell's guest room. No, she'd rather wander around in a bath towel than to have to wear those clothes ever again, just as she'd thrown out her dress only a few days before.

She sighed at the feel of the hot water on her skin. Oh, sweet heaven. Even the shampoo offered in Hercule's home was exceptionally fancy. She worked it deep into her hair, moaning lightly at the scent and the feeling as her scalp was scrubbed clean. Even just one night in this place was going to be like a little mini vacation where she could escape all her troubles. Just for one night.

* * *

Hercule went across the hall to Madeline's room, knocking softly on the door. He gave Ryan a quick smile. "Aw, I didn't interrupt anything?" He chuckled at the glare she gave him. "I hate to do this, but I need to borrow some of Madeline's clothes for the little lady. I don't think she's going to wear what she came in all night. I wouldn't stand for it anyway. Something to sleep in and maybe some jeans and a shirt for tomorrow. Might have to get Madeline to take her shopping later. You go as protection. Though, I know Madeline can handle herself."

Ryan nodded and got out of the bed, casting a warm smile over her shoulder at Madeline, who was still sleeping soundly. "I'm glad she finally fell asleep. Those damn migraines knock her on her ass," she said as she went to the closet and pulled out a warm pair of pajama pants and a shirt for Chichi to sleep in, then grabbed an outfit for her to wear the next day. "I'm sure Maddie won't mind," Ryan said as she handed it all over to Hercule. She looked him up and down, her face in a mock-sneer. "You WISH you'd walked in on something, you pervy old man."

Hercule grinned as he was pushed out into the hallway. "Hey, can you blame a guy for trying?" he chuckled. "Go on then, back to bed with you," he said, "Thanks, girl." He closed the door behind him, shaking his head to clear his mind. He had more respect for them than that, but he was still a man and seeing two women together, well, it wasn't a turn off. "I'm out of my mind," he muttered before he went back over to Chichi's room and settled himself on the floor to wait for the sound of water to stop running.

* * *

Chichi finally made herself turn off the shower. Did the hot water never run out in this house? That could be dangerous; Hercule would have a very high water bill if she lived there. She smiled to herself and dried off, wrapping her long black hair in a towel before she grabbed the plush, fluffy robe off the back of the door and snuggled into it. Despite the bruises all over her body and the tiredness she felt, being clean and full of food made a remarkable difference in how she felt. She stepped out into the bedroom, wondering when Hercule would bring her something to sleep in. She was half tempted to just wear the robe to bed when she heard a soft knock at the door. She made sure that the robe was pulled tightly around her before she spoke. "Come in," she called, feeling self-conscious once more. She wasn't sure if it was appropriate for him to see her in just a bathrobe, even though it covered her completely.

Hercule smiled and carefully pushed the door open, shutting it softly behind him. He looked over at her and nodded his approval. "You're looking much better," he said as he handed her the clothes he had gotten. "There's an outfit for tomorrow. When you are feeling up to it, I can have Madeline take you shopping for more clothes or something. And don't worry if you run into trouble, all of my staff are well trained in martial arts defense," he bragged, puffing his chest out a little bit. He was rather proud of that fact. He insisted on it. Mostly because he got a few angry husbands banging on his door from time to time saying how he broke their marriage or something like that. Some lame ass who didn't appreciate the work he did for the shelters. "Let me just hop in the bathroom and get you that cream for those."

Chichi wanted to protest that he didn't have to buy her anything, but Ryan's words echoed in her brain and she just nodded and stepped aside for him to go into the bathroom. She looked at the clothes in her hands and set them carefully on the bed. They looked comfy and she couldn't wait to crawl into the bed and sleep. She sat down on the foot of the bed to wait for him, picking at her nails. "I'm sorry to cause you so much trouble," she called out to him. "You know, I never really expected you to show up at the house like that. When I left the other day, well, I just sort of thought that would be the last I saw of you."

Hercule came back out holding a small jar of cream. "If there's one thing I take seriously, Little Lady, it's cries for help from women such as yourself." He paused in front of her. "Is it okay if I sit next to you?" he asked as he unscrewed the cap and set it aside. "I've been helping with domestic violence and violence against women ever since I started my career. I like to help when I can. I don't like to just sit by when I know there's something I can do to help."

Chichi shifted over on the bed, making room for him to sit down. She told herself over and over in her head that he was NOT Maxwell and that she shouldn't fear him. He had gone to great lengths to ensure her safety. Why would he hurt her now? "You can sit down," she said, her voice more timid than she would've liked. She eyed the cream in his hand, remembering how wonderful it felt. She wasn't sure how good it was at removing bruises; Maxwell had put a fresh set on her before the old ones even had a chance to heal. Of course at this point, she would've accepted anything to make her feel better. "That's really amazing, that you would help women like that," she said. "I'm sure they all appreciate it." She'd thought about going to one of those shelters, but somehow she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Perhaps it was her pride or maybe the fact that in the back of her mind, she knew she still deserved Maxwell's abuse.

Hercule sat down carefully next to her, dipping his fingers into the cream before he turned to her. He slowly reached out, not even blinking an eye when she flinched from him. He just waited until she gave him a nod and he continued. He carefully placed the cream over the cuts and bruises he could see. "My mother was abused when I was a child. Believe it or not, I was a little pipsqueak back then, barely tall enough to get anything off of the counters. I couldn't protect her back then," he said sadly, thinking about all the times he could hear his father screaming at his mother for doing something wrong. Not even wrong, for no reason at all. "I remember whenever the ambulance would come, the techs would always say that she must have done something to provoke him. That somehow it was her fault she ended up like that. Wrong. It's so wrong."

Chichi cringed internally. The things the medics had said about Hercule's mother were the same things she told herself when Maxwell would hit her. The same thoughts over and over in her head that this was what she deserved. She closed her eyes for a moment, ever so slightly leaning into his touch as he spread the cool, soothing cream across her face. She suddenly longed for him to rub it on the rest of her bruises, but that would be too much to ask of him and incredibly inappropriate. "I'm sure your mother didn't deserve that sort of treatment," she said, her eyes still closed. "But maybe some women do." She didn't know why she'd said that out loud, but she ducked her head the next minute, frowning to herself. She knew she deserved it.

Hercule frowned at her as she ducked away from him. "Hey there," he said softly, carefully lifting her chin so she would look at him again. "No woman deserves to be treated like this. No one. This might sound a bit ironic, coming from me, but violence is never the answer. It doesn't matter if they do or don't, it's not the answer," he insisted as he finished soothing the cream onto her face.

His words warmed her heart. Even though she believed she deserved it, it was nice to hear someone tell her she didn't. How many more years would she have to endure the curse before it broke? Perhaps it would never break and she would live like this until her dying day. The thought made her shudder. She finally sat back with a sigh and gave him a genuine smile. "Thank you," she said softly. "That feels so much better." She let her shoulders sag a little bit with relief, but gave a squeak the next moment when the neck of the robe slipped down, revealing her shoulder and a nasty bruise on her upper arm. She quickly grabbed the robe and pulled it tighter around her, her face flushing a bright red.

Hercule's eyes were drawn to the bruise, barely even thinking of her blush. Good heavens, forget what he said about violence, he was going to beat the crap out of this guy if he even stepped foot on his lawn. That was just her shoulder. What other bruises were hiding there? "Are there bruises on your back too?" he asked softly. "Why don't you get changed? I'll help you reach the places you can't."

Chichi felt nervous at that, but she grabbed up the pajamas and went into the bathroom to change. She frowned at her reflection when she took off the robe. There wasn't a single part of her body that didn't seem to have a bruise. Her ribs, her back, her arms, her chest. She pulled on the pants and tied the drawstring around her waist before she slipped on the top. She frowned at herself again when she realized it was more of a tank-top with a low V-neck. "I don't know about this," she called to him. "I feel like I'm… rather indecent." She rubbed at her face, feeling the hot blush there again.

Hercule winced. "Ugh, don't tell me Ryan cut holes where, uh, in the front. She did that as a prank on Madeline once. I thought they got rid of everything that was ruined," he said before he saw her peek around the door. He blinked at her. "You don't look indecent," he said, but he held his tongue at the bruises he saw.

Chichi crossed her arms over her chest, but then sighed and dropped her arms when she realized that that only made her cleavage more obvious. "This is just a little low cut for my taste," she said and nervously went to the bed again. She could feel his eyes on her bruises and she pressed her lips to a thin line. "It's not as bad as it looks. Really. They just look ugly. I'm okay." She knew it was a lie, they hurt like hell. Some of them were only hours old. She tried to hold her hands casually behind her back, her wrists still held fingermarks from where Maxwell had held her down that night, restrained her as he used her for his own selfish wants.

Hercule gave the woman a skeptical look. "I think I know hurt enough to tell when it's bad. Those things are all over you," he said as he stood up and went to her and walked around her to see the damage. What he could see any way. He knew there had to be more underneath all of the clothes she wore. He carefully worked the cream into her shoulder, onto her back, around the back of her neck. Jeezus, he could see a hand print. He glanced down, realizing Chichi had yanked her hands back around to her front. "What did he do to your wrists?"

Chichi's heart skipped a beat and her stomach seized up painfully. She sucked her bottom lip for a second and looked down at her wrists, rubbing at them. "He…" she paused and swallowed harshly, refusing to cry. "He pinned me down. I wasn't in the mood, but he said as his wife, it was my duty to… satisfy him." She fought to keep her voice from cracking, disgust coursing through her again. So many times she'd begged him to be intimate with her, only to see him drag home some pretty young thing and have his way with her in their bed. And now that she didn't want him to touch her, he forced her to. "And then he said I wasn't very good and he slapped me around again," she finished lamely, ducking her head once more in embarrassment and shame.

Hercule felt a blazing hatred sweep through him as he listened to her. He carefully lifted up the back of her shirt to rub in more of the cream down her spine. He finished and smoothed her shirt back into place before he turned her around. "Hey, that only makes him look horrible. You are a beautiful woman to have survived that. Don't let him have that gratification," he said as he carefully took her hand and led her to the head of the bed. He turned down the covers carefully before he sat her down and kneeled in front of her, rolling up the legs of her pants before he rubbed in more cream on what he could see. He took his time, carefully working it down her calves, pausing to massage each of her feet. He could feel the tension there, the way she was tensed up. "You've been treated so badly. I'm so sorry no one came to help you sooner."

"It's okay," she answered. She felt so conflicted in that moment. His touch felt amazing, soothing her aches. But more than that, it seemed to soothe her heart, the way he touched her so carefully, so gently. She nearly moaned as he rubbed her feet. She couldn't remember anyone ever doing that for her before. How many years had she spent day in and day out on her feet, trying to please her husband by keeping his house neat and tidy for him, making sure his every need was tended to? But at the same time, she felt guilty for letting another man touch her at all. She was still technically married and if Maxwell had his way, she would remain so for a very long time. She didn't think Hercule had any other intentions besides just helping to ease her pain, but it still seemed wrong. Yet she couldn't make herself tell him to stop. "I don't really have anyone who would care," she admitted.

Hercule finished and stood up, setting the cream on the nightstand. He lifted the covers for her to slide her feet under and he gave her a small smile. "You do now, Little Lady," he said as he tucked her into the bed. "Get some rest now. If you need anything, Ryan's across the hallway. My room's up the stairs, first door on your right. If you get hungry, like I said, there's always a cook in the kitchen," he reminded her before he turned and headed for the door, "Sleep as long as you like, okay?"

She sighed as she seemed to sink into the squashy mattress and the weight of the blankets pressed down on her. "Okay," she answered softly, her voice already heavy and sleepy. "Thank you, Hercule." She was almost sad to see him leave the room. Her eyes felt heavy, but she snapped them open again to look at him. "Will I see you in the morning?"

He paused at the door, his hand on the light. He chuckled softly. "I sure hope so, this is my house. I'll be around somewhere." He thought over his schedule of matches in the next few days. "I have a few matches day after tomorrow, so you might be hard pressed to find me unless you turn on the TV." He laughed a moment before he sobered up, "You gonna be okay in here by yourself? I could get those girls and have them come in to stay with you. Like a weird sleepover or something."

"No, that's okay," Chichi answered with a little smile. "I'll be okay by myself." She snuggled back down into the softness of the bed, the cool pillow felt amazing on her face. She yawned deeply and blinked sleepily at him. "Goodnight, Hercule."

He smiled and turned off the light. "Goodnight, Little Lady. Sleep well."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Woooooot! Here we go on the last story! **Nancy103 **asked what we would do once we're done. First of all, I feel old enough as it is without you mentioning retirement, Missy. Jeesuz. Actually, we're planning on going back to the beginning and rewriting several of the stories. They need serious work. After that, we're planning on starting an original series, maybe see if we can't publish something. We'll see what happens.

**Dbzfangirl1 **you alright, dear? *eyes broken coffee cup* What? You didn't see this one coming? LOL.

**Juli **Where you been, girl? I've missed hearing from you! Yeah, Chichi has a lot to work on, but at least she's finally accepted that she was wrong. This will be an interesting journey for sure.

**Amcox1307 **I think you'll end up liking it. I know you're no fan of Chichi, but I think this story might change your mind.

**Guest reviewers: ** We are not pairing our least likeable characters together. I will admit, in the Cell Saga, I wanted Hercule dead more than Cell. But by the end of the Buu Saga, he really proved that he was useful. I think there's a lot more depth to his character. In fact, I recently read that Hercule was the only person to never die in DBZ because Akira Toriyama liked his character so much.

There was a point where I did not like Chichi at all. Until we came up with the idea for this story. We intentionally made her character way more horrible than canon so that we could do this. Chichi really has been a central part to all of our stories, even if it didn't appear that way. It all started with her deciding to take in a foreign exchange student in the very first story. If she hadn't done that, none of this would have happened. She is the character that ends up with the biggest character development out of all of our stories. I happen to like Chichi very much. I just had to put her through hell to get to this point.

And, in fact, I think Hercule/Chichi is **JC 87**'s favorite pairing out of all our characters.

Another reviewer mentioned not making Hercule too OOC. The idea isn't to change his character, but to show who he is behind closed doors. For the TV cameras, he's still the loud, boisterous showman that we know from canon. We don't intend to change that at all. But at home, in private, he's a more down to earth character. Ever watch professional wrestling? Those guys talk big and put on a show in front of the cameras, but if you see them in their normal lives, they're pretty laid back. Think of him like that in this story.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! I look forward to getting more feedback from all of you guys.


	3. New Friendships

Chichi bolted upright in the bed, gasping loudly, expecting to find herself locked in the guest room of Maxwell's house. She sighed in relief the next moment when she realized she was in Hercule's home. She fell back against the plush pillows and groaned. Her body still ached, but that had to have been the best night's sleep she'd had in a very long time. She finally forced herself to get out of the bed and she pulled on the clothes Ryan had got for her the night before. The jeans were a little tight and the shirt was low cut, just like the pajamas, but she was grateful to have something to wear.

She sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the phone, thinking she should call someone to let them know that she was okay. But every person she thought of wouldn't be concerned for her. Not even her own children. She frowned, her chin trembling, and she set the phone back down. What had she done? All those years of pushing everyone away, driving them to hate her, and now she would give anything just to have one of them genuinely care about her again. "I'm so stupid," she whispered and covered her face with her hands.

Once she had calmed herself, she brushed her hair and tied it up in its usual bun. She huffed when she realized she didn't have any makeup to put on. Her stomach growled again and she decided to see if she could find her way back down to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat before she figured out where she was going to go and how she was going to survive on her own. She wandered into the dining room and blinked in surprise to see Hercule there, already eating his own breakfast. "Good morning," she said quietly.

Hercule looked up from his breakfast, swallowing his mouthful before he smiled at her. "Good morning. How are you feeling? Those cuts and bruises are looking better," he said before he got up and pulled out a chair for her. "You hungry? Paul's working this morning, I had him make a little extra for you."

Chichi sat down and let him push her chair in for her. She gave a nod as one of his staff brought out a plate of food for her. She wasn't used to being waited on hand and foot like this. She was used to being the one to do all the cooking and cleaning. It felt weird to her. She took her time to eat her breakfast, not wanting to forget her manners like she had the night before at dinner. She somehow managed to keep her expression relatively blank as she thought about her next move. She had no money, no car, she didn't even have a form of ID on her. How was she supposed to accomplish anything? She didn't even have a set of her own clothing to wear. She frowned at the realization. Even after escaping from his house, Maxwell still had her trapped. She sighed and leaned the unbruised part of her face on her hand as she poked her eggs around her plate with her fork.

Hercule paused as he cut up his sausage. "Is something wrong with it? I can have them fix you something else if you like." He had a feeling that wasn't it. "And after you finish eating, I've had a talk with Madeline and she said she would be more than happy to take you shopping to get whatever you need."

Chichi set her fork down and looked over at him. "Hercule, I appreciate that, but I can't just depend on you to take care of me. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but you don't even know me. I can't just keep taking from you. It's not right," she said. She looked down at her plate, frustrated with herself and the situation she found herself in. She was suddenly mad at herself for ever relying on a man to take care of her. She should've been taking care of herself instead, but she'd spent her whole life trying to be the perfect wife. And where had that gotten her now? Two broken marriages and no family with nothing to show for all her years of hard work. She shook her head angrily at herself. "I got myself into this mess. I can't depend on you to get me out of it."

Hercule's expression softened. "You know it's okay to ask for help when you need it. I understand better than you think I do, but I understand you wanting to take some control back for yourself. I just want you to know that you don't have to do this alone. We can take you to friends, other family you might have. A shelter if you want, but to be honest, I really think if you go that route, this Maxwell fellow will have you back in that tiny room before the day is out."

Chichi sighed through her nose as she stared at her plate. She knew he was right. Even though the shelters were supposed to be somewhat secretive and safe, she knew Maxwell would find her. "I don't have any friends or family," she admitted quietly. "Not really." She picked up her fork and poked at her eggs again before she took another tiny bite. It looked as if she didn't have a choice but to accept Hercule's generosity for the time being. She looked up at him, meeting his kind blue eyes. "If you're sure it's okay, I guess I have no choice but to stay here for a while. But I swear I will pay you back somehow," she said firmly.

He chuckled. He could see the strong spirit in her and he felt his heart lift to know that she hadn't been entirely broken. He held up his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay. You can pay me back. Though, I really don't need it," he said looking around the dining room. "I think this room alone is bigger than my whole house when I was younger. Now I have more money than I can shake a stick at and I hardly know what to do with it all. Keeps the staff happy, that's for sure." He gave her a smile. "You are more than welcome to stay as long as you need. If you are still iffy about the whole stranger thing, maybe we should, ah, you know, get to know each other." He rubbed the back of his head. "Not the way that sounds! I mean. You know." He sighed and rubbed his face, "I'll, uh, stop talking now."

Chichi couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her throat. She'd never seen the world's greatest champion so frazzled before. She clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter until she could compose herself again. Somehow, she knew exactly what he was trying to say even if it did come out sounding wrong. "I know what you mean," she said, a slight giggle still in her voice. She considered him a minute. "I think I would like that."

He gave her a fake annoyed look, but it broke a moment later and he laughed. His rich baritone filled the room before he calmed down. "There we go. There's the little lady hiding in there," he said with a smile before he tucked into his plate again. "I suppose we could go with a luncheon or something like that. Or we could start off with the whole traditional thing. Do you have any children? What are the kids doing now? What's your favorite color and that stuff?" he joked as he observed her. She was still guarded around him, but she wasn't broken completely. She wasn't hiding in her room, she was modest and unsure about taking what he offered. He would be too. You always have to wonder what the catch was. He nearly snorted at that. How many women had come to his doors, fans wanting to get a piece of the action? It was good to be cautious. Cautious kept you safe.

Chichi felt her heart warm when he called her "little lady." She'd never had a nickname before, well, one that people would actually use in front of her, though she suspected she had been called plenty of things behind her back. But her heart sank at the mention of children. She swallowed nervously. "Ah, well, I have two sons. My oldest is a doctor. The younger one is a chef. I'm very proud of both of them. But I don't see them often," she said. She took another bite before she spoke again. "Ah, my favorite color's purple." She didn't really want to talk about herself if she could help it. "What about you? How's Videl doing? It's been a long time since I've seen her." She paused, wondering if she should've mentioned that she knew his daughter, if only from a distance. "My oldest son was friends with your daughter when they were in high school. I met her a couple of times."

Hercule smiled at the mention of her sons, he wanted to ask her more about them, but she changed the topics so fast. "Videl? She's doing well. Moved to America a while back, before the business with the aliens happened." He sobered up, remembering that time. On the run, fighting for his life and the lives of his two most trusted girls in the world. The unexpected friendship that had been uncovered with Tora and Trunks and their families. "I wasn't too worried about her. She's strong, she can take care of herself. I trained her, hoping she'd follow in my footsteps, but she had different plans," he chuckled.

Chichi's stomach clenched painfully at the mention of those horrible aliens who had invaded. She remembered her death in excruciating detail, the way she'd been beaten to death, how her son had watched without any expression of feeling on his face at all when Avriel announced she would be executed. She'd tried to give up Goku to the aliens to spare herself. And once again, she was reminded that she deserved the life she had now. She deserved to be miserable. "Yes, that was quite the ordeal," she said, not looking at him, trying to keep her tone conversational. "I don't think there was anyone who wasn't affected by that. Although I heard it was the worst here in Japan. I hope Videl wasn't bothered by it too much."

Hercule saw the expression on her face and he winced. "It was very bad here in Japan. I'm sorry. It's still too fresh, isn't it?" He frowned and rubbed a hand through his hair. "I did what I could to help end it. People thought that I could end it." He gave a faint smile, "You know. Being the whole savior of earth and all that. What else would the people expect from the man who defeated Cell?"

Chichi felt a bit of anger well up in her at that, but she decided to bite her tongue. Goku's words rang in her mind that he didn't care if Hercule took the credit for defeating Cell. He didn't want the attention. Calling Hercule out on that now would be rude, especially with as generous as he had been to her. "Yes, I'm sure you did as much as you could," she answered and continued to eat her breakfast. "Were you the one to end it? It seems no one knows for sure how they were finally defeated. Though rumor is you were the one to save the earth again." It was a lie; Bulma had told her that Phoenix and Alice were the ones who finally brought down the terrible machine that had kept the other warriors from using their energy.

He offered her a small smile. "Well, you know. After hearing how I creamed Cell, they just couldn't stick around for very long. Fear got the best of them," he said smoothly. It was easy to lie. He didn't like to do it, but these lies saved lives. He knew it wasn't the truth, but it was necessary. The husbands who beat their wives were less likely to go after their spouses if they thought the champ was looking after them.

She gave him a small smile. "Well, you really are the man I always thought you were," she said sweetly, disguising the insult as a compliment. She didn't know what to think. He was a fake, a fraud, yet she couldn't deny that beneath all that, he was a compassionate, generous man who used his wealth and power to help women who couldn't help themselves. She supposed that that somehow outweighed the bad. But even so, she wondered how much she could really trust him if he could lie to her so easily. She finished her breakfast and looked up at him, deciding that for now she could tolerate the little white lies. She almost felt manipulative for it though, and she didn't like it. She would have to tell him that she knew the truth soon. She just had to figure out a way to do it without blowing up at him for taking her son's glory. "So, do you know where Madeline is this morning?"

He smiled and finished his plate before he pushed it away and called out, "Madeline! I know you're in the hallway!"

Madeline frowned and poked her head in, looking at the look Hercule was giving her. "I blame Ryan. Wanted to know what you guys were up to," she said as she walked over, giving a slight bow to the woman in the room. "Miss Chichi, I hope you remember me from the other day. Now that you will be staying with us you should know that I am the maid, secretary, whatever you want to call me. I have many titles. Mostly because the big lug here can't remember his own social security number without my help." She stuck her tongue out at him at the look he gave her, "I have an easy afternoon planned for us. Some shopping at the mall and lunch if you are feeling up for it."

"Okay," Chichi said uncertainly and got to her feet, pushing her chair in. It had been a while since she'd gone shopping, especially with someone else. It almost sounded fun. She looked to Hercule, pausing on her way out the door. "I guess I'll see you later?" she asked.

Hercule grinned and nodded. "You ladies have fun. I've got a few classes to teach while you're out." He gave them a wink, "Madeline, be sure to phone ahead with whatever you gals want for dinner tonight. And remember, Ryan's turn to pick dinner is tomorrow. Maybe we should do lunch tomorrow, Chichi?" he asked.

Chichi nodded. "Sounds good," she said and followed Madeline out of the dining room. "So, ah, how long have you worked for Hercule?" she asked, trying to make conversation so that it wouldn't be so awkward. She'd never been very good at making friends. Most of the people she knew were either friends of her first husband or associates of Maxwell's.

Madeline smiled as they got into the car waiting for them. She turned to instruct the driver to head to the nearest mall that was around before she turned back to Chichi. She looked stiff, guarded. That was understandable. She had seen several of women like Chichi that Hercule had helped over the years. She visited the shelters with him and it was absolutely horrible. "I've known him for a long time. Since I was young. He helped my mother out of a bad situation and as soon as I was old enough to work, I came back. Even someone as amazing as the Champ needs help with his record books. And whatever else he needs. If it wasn't for him, I would never have met Ryan. He may seem all pompous on the screen, but on the inside, he has a good heart."

Chichi felt a small smile tug at her lips. That was exactly what she'd been wondering. Which was the real Hercule and which was the show he put on? Perhaps that was all just for the television, this boisterous persona that he put on to impress onlookers. "I've never seen this side of him before," she said softly. "I always thought he was just, you know, loud and obnoxious like he is on TV. But I haven't really seen that side of him too much since I met him. He seems like a very kind man. It's sort of hard to understand these two sides of him."

Madeline smiled at Chichi. "Ah, the best kept secret in the business. I'll admit, it is rather painful to watch his matches when you know the real side of him." She leaned her head on her hand and gave the older woman a smile. "He does what most of us do on a regular basis. He puts on a face that he thinks the world wants to see him as. You know? People expect him to be that way. Most of it is just a show. A guy who is calm, passionate, down to earth won't sell tickets. You know?" she said as she leaned back. "He's a hero, in more ways than one."

Chichi understood then. If he didn't have that big personality that drew people in, he wouldn't be as famous as he was. And without that, he wouldn't have the means to help battered women. It made sense to her now. "I think I get it," she said. She liked Madeline already. She seemed very down to earth, practical. She looked out the window as they slowed to a stop in front of the mall. She flinched when she saw her reflection in the mirror. "Do you, ah, think maybe we could pick up a bit of makeup before we do anything else?" she asked shyly. "I don't want people to stare," she said and pointed at the bruises on her face.

Madeline smiled at her, reaching out towards the older woman, taking the pin out of her hair. She smiled as the black locks fell around her face. "Don't worry. You look beautiful, Chichi, but yes. We can stop by the makeup counter. I know one of the girls who works there. She will know what to get for you. I'm thinking some autumns and all that. You'll love the new clothing store they've opened up inside. Really down to earth fashions," she said as she opened up the car door and offered a hand to Chichi.

Chichi nervously let Madeline help her out of the car. She never wore her hair down in public. She rarely wore it down at home, especially after living with Maxwell. It made it too easy for him to grab her by the hair. She'd even thought about chopping it all off at one point. "What do you mean down to earth fashion?" she asked curiously as she walked with Madeline into the mall. "I usually wear more traditional clothes." She wasn't sure about trying a new look. She ducked her head, her hair falling across her face again as passersby looked curiously at her. "Can we just make this quick?"

Madeline raised her eyebrow at Chichi as they entered into the building. She reached out and brushed her hair back behind an ear. "Quick? You've never really been shopping before, have you?" she asked as she gave her a smile. "Don't worry about it. These clothes are earthy, modest but in a fashionable kind of way. You'll just have to see what I mean," she said as she led the way to the nearest clothing store. "I'm glad you are here, Ryan isn't much into this girly stuff," she chuckled.

"So you and Ryan are really good friends, huh?" Chichi asked as she followed Madeline through the store to the makeup counter. She sat down in one of the tall chairs there, avoiding looking into the mirrors. "She helped Hercule last night when he came to get me. Besides the drive home, I didn't really get to speak much to her. She seems nice, though."

Madeline giggled as the makeup person came over, looking at Chichi and picking a few shades out. "Oh Ryan? We're dating. She's my girlfriend," she said happily, remembering the first date that Ryan had asked her out on. It was a little bit more than awkward, but she had a haunch that she had asked Hercule for advice.

Chichi's eyes went wide for a moment. She'd never known a lesbian before and she wasn't sure how that made her feel. Her knee-jerk reaction was to get as far away from Madeline as possible, but she stopped herself. Always before, she judged people without getting to know them. Everything she'd ever done in the past had come back to haunt her. Perhaps now it was time to change the way she looked at things, at people, to get to know them before she made such judgments. "I… didn't know that," she said and turned her attention to the makeup artist, letting her swipe the foundation over her face. She pulled back as the girl went to grab another piece of makeup. Chichi looked at Madeline, then looked down at her hands in her lap, deciding to be honest. "I'm sorry, Madeline. I'm trying not to be judgmental. I've never known anyone like you, at least, not without being rude to them. I'm trying to change that about myself." She looked up, meeting the younger woman's eyes. "Sorry if my reaction hurt your feelings. I didn't mean to."

Madeline raised an eyebrow at her. "Well that reaction is better than what I've seen from most people. Others hate change. They throw eggs as fast as insults. They say that I hinder the human race for dating a woman." She sighed, looking on as the makeup artist added more to Chichi's face. The bruises were dark and hard to cover up. "Don't worry about it. I'm used to it. I know it's not the norm, but I can't change how I feel."

"You shouldn't have to," Chichi said, trying not to wince as the makeup artist dabbed at her face more. "I don't want to be like that anymore. I'm tired of trying to tell everyone else how they should live their lives when I can't even manage my own." She sighed and picked at her nails for a moment again. "I don't want to take advantage of Hercule's generosity, but I'm afraid I might be at his house for a while until I can get on my feet. If that's the case, then I really don't want to make any enemies. If I do or say something that offends you, will you talk to me about it, please? I really want to change the way I look at things. The way I treat people. I worry that I don't even realize I'm doing it. I don't want to start my new life off on the wrong foot."

Madeline smiled at her. "That's good that you think of this as a new chapter in your life, rather than a continuation of your old one," she said, nodding at the makeup artist before she handed over a plastic card to pay for the products. She reached out and adjusted the mirror so Chichi could see. "You are beautiful without the makeup, you know," she said, looking at her carefully. "But I promise if you say something that offends me, I will let you know. It will take a lot though."

A tiny gasp escaped Chichi's lips as she looked into the mirror. The bruises were hidden, which she was thankful for, but there was something different about the way her makeup was done. It didn't look heavy like she'd always worn it before. It was light, pretty, and it made her look years younger. She nearly teared up when Madeline called her beautiful. That was something no one had said to her in almost two decades. And even when Maxwell had said it when they first met, it didn't quite sound sincere. She swallowed harshly and looked at Madeline, "Thank you." She suddenly hugged the younger woman, not knowing exactly why, but she didn't know a better way to convey her gratitude.

Madeline smiled and hugged her back tightly. "There you are," she said happily before she took her card back from the makeup woman and tucked it into her purse. "Come on then. It's about time we reintroduced you to society." She chuckled, "I know this great little Mongolian place in the mall we can do for lunch. They have the best stir-fry ever. Then there is the place at the other end of the mall," she looked Chichi up and down, "I think they will have the clothing styles you are more accustomed to."

Chichi almost nodded at that, but then paused. "No, I think I'd like to check out that other store you were talking about. Maybe I need a completely new me, you know? Just as long as the clothes aren't too revealing. Something new might be good for me." She felt a little excited at the thought, of making herself over inside and out. She needed this. "Can you show me that store?"

Madeline smiled at Chichi, giving one of the loose locks of hair a curl before she let it fall on Chichi's shoulder. She pushed Chichi in front of a mirror, smiling brightly at the older woman. "Look at how young you look," she said, tickling her ribs before she grabbed her wrist and hauled her off towards the new clothing store, already some fashions in mind for this woman.

Chichi couldn't help but giggle. Something about being around Madeline made her feel younger. Even though she'd never paid attention to that sort of thing before, she felt a warmth from the younger woman and she knew that Madeline was a good person. She let her drag her to the store, but blinked widely when they entered. "Madeline, these are hippie clothes," she said in a loud whisper as she looked around. "I don't think I can pull off this kind of a look."

Madeline turned to give Chichi a skeptical look. "Forgive me for saying, Miss Chichi, but I dare say that you have yet to try this look for your own," she teased. "Try it, and if you don't love it... well, we will figure that out later, won't we?" she said as she led the older woman through the racks, picking out outfits with a keen eye. Chichi could pull off this look if she wanted to, she just had to give it a chance. She picked out flowing skirts and low cut tops, along with a few modest ones at her insistence. "You know, this may be weird, but the first rule Hercule taught me of women independence was woman confidence. You have to believe in yourself. Believe that you are worth it, that you are beautiful before the healing process can begin."

Chichi was uncertain about the clothes that Madeline picked out for her. "Okay," she said, her look questioning as she suddenly found herself with an armful of clothes and Madeline shoved her into a dressing room. _'How did I get myself into this?' _she thought to herself as she pulled off the jeans and shirt she'd been loaned and tried on the first outfit. She turned to look at herself in the mirror. She barely recognized the woman staring back at her. She looked so much younger. She liked the way the long skirt swirled freely around her legs and the light green top covered her mostly without looking like a prude. And it covered most of her bruises, too. She cautiously opened the door to the dressing room and peeked out at Madeline. "I dunno. Does it look like I'm trying too hard to look younger than I really am?" she asked.

Madeline smiled widely at Chichi. "Hey now, don't you worry about that. You are beautiful, you know," she said, nodding approvingly at the mirror. "You know, you are prettier than you think you are." She turned the woman around in the mirror. She appreciated the look she could see. She was surprised at the strength of Chichi's muscles that she could feel. "Look at you! You are a fighter aren't you? I know one when I see one."

Chichi blushed. "I was a fighter at one time," she admitted. "It was a very long time ago, though." She sighed and shook her head as she looked in the mirror. She couldn't remember the last time she'd sparred with anyone. She'd lost her passion for fighting long ago, ever since she started to resent Goku and what he was. "About the time my first son was born," she said quietly. Once Gohan had been born with a tail and she figured out what Goku was, that he was an alien, she'd tried to change everything about that man and had gone out of her way to make them appear "normal." Even to the point of giving up fighting, because that wasn't fitting of a normal housewife.

She blinked uncertainly at the reflection in the mirror. If she was honest with herself, she really did like the way it looked on her. "I'm supposed to go to lunch with Hercule tomorrow," she said, looking at Madeline in the mirror. "Do you think this would be okay to wear?"

Madeline smiled at her. "Of course it would be okay to wear. I'll tell you a secret. The fan girls that come to call on Hercule? No class at all. Show up just looking for his money. Whatever they can get out of him they do their best to get. You can tell the ones who are faking, by the way. They look it. Not like you, of course. You are special. You need his help. I don't say that about many, Chichi. You need his help. And I am willing to help you. Whatever you need."

"Thank you," Chichi said once again. She felt like she'd been saying that a lot, but she didn't want to appear as if she was taking advantage of them at any point. She didn't want to take advantage of them. They were the first people to show her kindness in a very long time. And she didn't want to screw this up.

* * *

She spent most of the day shopping with Madeline, enjoying lunch at the restaurant she'd recommended, finishing up the day with a trip to the lingerie store, which made her face go ten shades of red. Madeline insisted that Chichi needed something to sleep in and Chichi realized that she only had one bra and one set of underwear with her. She let Madeline talk her into buying a lot of things she wasn't sure she'd ever wear, but part of her secretly loved the lacy things she picked out and she thought that even if she only slept in them, perhaps she might one day feel sexy again.

Their arms were laden with bags as they finally made it into Hercule's mansion. "I can't believe you talked me into buying so many things," Chichi said in an accusatory tone, but she couldn't stop the smile on her face. "I'm going to have to ask Hercule for a job here just so I can work off this shopping trip. I hope you're happy with yourself, missy."

Madeline smiled. "You'd have to work for me and him to work it off. However, I think I got a good view while I was walking you around. You have earned your keep for the day." She gave a wink at Chichi, "See? You aren't as old as you think you are. Come on. Let's go bug the cooks for an appetizer," she said with a wink, leading the older woman to the hot kitchens. Ryan and Hercule had been right about this one. She was a kind soul, ready to experience life if only she was free to do so.

Chichi slicked her hair back up into a bun as she followed Madeline to the kitchens. She giggled when Madeline grabbed up a platter of food, ignoring an angry cry from the cook, and they both ducked back out of the room. "You're nothing but trouble," she snickered as she picked up one of the mini-quiches and bit into it, giving a moan. "I may never leave if I get to eat like this all the time. I'll gladly work for this food."

Madeline grinned as they dashed away from the kitchen's laughing at the way the crumbs stuck to Chichi's cheek's carefreely. "I doubt you'll have to work for it," she teased as they made it back to her rooms. She shrugged off the bags of clothes they had gotten and relaxed in a chair near the lit fireplace. She gestured that Chichi should take a seat next to her. "Mmm, mini hot browns. A delicacy from Louisville, Kentucky. The Champ spares no expense," she sighed happily. "I'm glad you came out with me today. You will feel more at home with a wardrobe you picked out."

"I'm glad you invited me to go. I think this is the most fun I've had in years," Chichi said, leaning far back into the other chair as she propped her feet up. "Oh, my age is showing. I'm worn out," she chuckled, the warmth of the fireplace making her sleepy. She reached over and grabbed another appetizer before she popped it in her mouth. "I wonder where Hercule is taking me tomorrow," she mused softly to herself. She still wasn't sure if going out in public with him was a good idea, seeing as she was still married and he was so famous, but in that moment, she didn't much care.

Madeline chuckled, popping another appetizer into her own mouth. She moaned at the taste. Hercule was excellent in these matters, despite what the press said. She gave a smile at the older woman, teasingly reaching over and pulling out the pin that held her hair in such pristine condition. "I might have an idea of where he might be taking you," she said mischievously, "But I have also been bribed to not tell you any of the secrets he and Ryan have planned. And I want a happy ending tomorrow night, if you catch my drift."

Chichi sat up straight at that. "Whoa, wait a minute," she said, her voice a bit stern. "I agreed to go to lunch with him as a friend, to get to know him. Not as a date. I know Maxwell is a jerk, but I'm still married. I can't date!" Her face felt hot at Madeline's mention of a happy ending. "Is he expecting me to sleep with him?!" She nearly felt tears brimming in her eyes at the thought. If that was the payment for being rescued, she would just take her chances in the shelter.

Madeline laughed good naturedly. "OH! Oh no. Chichi. I didn't mean it like that. I meant for myself. I want it to be a happy ending for myself tomorrow night," she said with a wink. She sobered up a moment later at Chichi's serious look, "My deepest apologies. I mean that for myself, not for you or for him. You should know that he would never try that with you. Or women in your same circumstance. I know it's hard to believe, but Hercule is here to help, nothing more."

Chichi calmed a bit, feeling a little foolish for being so defensive, but Madeline seemed to understand. "Sorry," Chichi murmured. "I misunderstood what you meant. My guard is still up. It's not your fault." She sat back again and ran her fingers through her hair, calming herself, but the next second the door burst open with a bang and she gave a startled scream.

"I knew you had food in here! SHARE!" Ryan cried and practically tackled Madeline, grabbing one of the appetizers and shoving it in her mouth. "Oh mah gawd, these ah so good!" she said around a mouthful of food. She whapped Madeline on the arm as she sat in her lap. "Why didn't you tell me you had food?"

Madeline sighed, giving Chichi an apologetic look before she glanced up at her lover. "We have company, dear," she said through clenched jaw muscles, "Or were you thinking with your crotch instead of your head again?"

"I was thinking with my stomach," Ryan answered and grabbed another bite. She thrust her hips, wiggling in Madeline's lap. "But I can think with my crotch instead if you want me to."

"You can take you and your sex drive outside for a while," Madeline said firmly, rather annoyed with Ryan's antics this time. Most of the time it was fine, but Chichi had just informed her that she wasn't used to being around same-sex relationships and she didn't want the other woman to be uncomfortable. Ryan could be a bit much for people to handle at times.

Ryan blinked down at her, surprised. It was rare that Madeline was cross with her. "Ooookay," she said and stood up, feeling a bit bewildered. "Let me know when you get the sand out of your twat and stop being so bitchy," she snapped, grabbing another snack before she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, her long blonde hair flying behind her.

Chichi sank back against the chair, her hand over her heart. For a moment, she'd thought Maxwell was bursting into the room to drag her home by her hair again. "Sorry," she whispered shakily to Madeline. "It's just going to take me a minute to get used to him not lurking around every corner. I didn't mean to scream. She just startled me."

Madeline waved her hand in the air. "I know. I am sorry for that. Ryan is just, rather... excited about our relationship. I love her with all my heart, but sometimes she can be a bit tactless. I'm sorry she scared you. She is one of those people who isn't afraid of her sexuality. She had to convince me quite a bit to come out of the closet. Took a while, I'll tell you," she said, looking up at the ceiling as if she were remembering something fondly. "Don't you worry about a thing though. Safety is the one thing the Champ values above all else."

Chichi nodded. She was less worried about Ryan's affection for Madeline and more about the way her heart hammered against her chest, the shaking of her hands, the churning in her stomach. "She's fine," Chichi said. "I told you I want to try to change the way I see the world. You don't have to hide your relationship around me. It's okay." She exhaled a shaky breath and ran her fingers through her hair again. She reached over and picked up the pin, fixing her hair once again into its usual bun. She licked her lips and looked over at Madeline again. "Am I really safe here?" she asked. "Maxwell knows a lot of people. He's going to cause problems. I know he is."

Madeline gave Chichi a smile. The way she fixed her hair, the cautious nature of herself. "You are fine. Trust me," she said, "This house is the safest place you can be if you don't have anywhere to go and you are running from a man like him. Maxwell won't be the first person to cause trouble for us and he won't be the last. He has made the mistake of thinking he is one of a kind. Special. However, men of his kind, they are all a dime a dozen. There is nothing special about him. He has no original thoughts of his own. He is a puppet. We see him for what he really is. Don't you be fooled by it."

Chichi managed a smile and nodded, feeling better. They were used to dealing with things like this, they could handle it. "Thanks, Madeline. I do feel safer here than I have in a long time. I'm just jumpy. I'll try to work on that," she said. She looked over at all the bags of clothes on the floor. "Would it be okay if I put those away in the closet and stuff? I know I can't stay forever, but I can't stand to have a mess in my room, either. I'm a bit of a neat-freak. At least that's what everyone's always said about me. I like to think of it as just being tidy, but, well, whatever," she finished lamely. In reality, it was a bit of a control issue for her. There had always been so much in her life that seemed beyond her control, but the state of her home was one thing she had absolute dominion over. It was like a security blanket.

Madeline smiled at her and acted like she was giving away a big secret. "Don't you worry about a thing. Think of this place as a big free for all. You can stash your own stuff here with no repercussions," she smiled.

Chichi nodded and got up, quickly moving across the hall to put away all of her new belongings in her room, taking care to remove the tags and hang everything nicely or fold it perfectly before tucking it into the drawers of the big dresser. Even after all these years, it was still her habit to clean whenever she got nervous or stressed out. She put the makeup away in the big vanity with the oval mirror and threw away the empty shopping bags before she turned around, looking for something else to clean. She frowned. The room was immaculate. She turned an accusatory eye on Madeline. "You and your staff do your jobs too well."

Madeline smiled at her leaning back in an overstuffed chair in Chichi's room. "We'd be out of a job if we didn't." She looked Chichi up and down for a moment. "You always put your hair up. Is that how you wear it or did Mister Maxwell have you do that?" she asked. She stretched a little bit. "You said you want to be open minded. Time to shake off the old and embrace the new if that's the case, dear."

Chichi paused to touch her hair, frowning a bit. "I always wore it up when I was cleaning or out in public. Sometimes I would let it down when I was at home, but when Maxwell started using it to control me…" She trailed off and shook her head. "He'd still grab my hair, but it wasn't as easy for him to get a hold of it when I had it up like this. I thought about cutting it all off, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it."

Madeline sat up, a frown on her face. "I understand," she said immediately before she got up and went to the older woman. "I am sorry. I didn't think. Please excuse my rudeness." She was forgetting herself. Hercule had told her to mind what she said, that women under pressure had reasons for what they did. She had noticed that this woman had promptly put her hair back up any time she had let it down. "I'm sorry for what he did to you. I really am," she said, bringing Chichi over to a full length mirror. "I only say it because here, you won't be used or controlled by anything. If you were, we'd all beat the person in a second if it happened, be it our boss or the creep who did this to you in the first place. I understand that it takes time, but now you have all the time in the world here. So whenever you feel comfortable enough, you should do it." She reached up, gently letting Chichi's hair down again before she leaned against her, squeezing her shoulders. "Look at how beautiful you are. This takes years off of you."

Chichi looked at herself in the mirror. She did like the way she looked with her hair down, the way it fell around her shoulders and framed her face. She reached up and laid her hand over Madeline's, giving it a little squeeze. She wasn't used to being called beautiful or receiving compliments of any kind. She wasn't sure how to take it. "You weren't being rude, Madeline. It's okay. And don't be sorry for him or me. I brought this situation on myself."

Madeline shrugged. "I've heard that a lot of times. But don't you at least deserve one person on your side?" she asked. "It doesn't matter what you did, or what you think you did. Everyone deserves a friend who sees your side of the story." She gave Chichi a smile in the mirror. "You'll have to let me braid your hair sometime," she said as she combed her fingers through it. The dark strands were silky smooth and faintly smelled of vanilla. She made a mental note to pick up more shampoo to enhance that. "Well. I don't know about you, but how about we raid the kitchen again? I think we can steal a tray this time."

Chichi smiled and nodded, not trusting her voice in that moment for fear it might crack. A friend. Madeline had called her a friend. It was such a foreign concept to her at that point in her life and it made her feel like she could cry all over again. She wiped at her eyes with her fingertips and gave a little watery smile. "That sounds good," she said. "You don't think you'll get in trouble, will you? I don't want to cost you your job or anything."

Madeline snorted, covering her mouth quickly. "Oh no, definitely not. It's a game we play around here. Everyone steals food from the kitchens before the main dinner is ready. The cooks have learned to make up trays and to set them at accessible sites in the kitchen while they fiddle with the main courses, so to speak. I have to hand it to the champ. I gave him quite the look when he said he wanted to have a twenty-four hour kitchen, but it runs smoothly and the night guards appreciate a hot meal when they can get it. It works."

Chichi gave a little laugh. "A twenty-four hour kitchen. That would make my first husband happy." She shook her head and took Madeline's hand in her own as they walked down the hallway to the kitchen. She chewed the inside corner of her cheek as they rounded a corner. "Do you think Ryan will be mad for very long? You shouldn't stay mad at her. I don't think she meant to make you upset or to scare me." She knew how easy it was to let anger control you, how one little thing could snowball and the next thing you know, your entire relationship was spiraling out of control. She didn't want to see that happen to Madeline.

Madeline smiled at Chichi. "That's thoughtful of you to be concerned, but you need not worry. I know how Ryan thinks. In a way, she's just as simple minded as any man. To be honest, I think she has the spirit of a man who ended up in the wrong body." She chuckled and peered into the kitchen before she snatched a tray of shrimp salad resting in little lettuce leaves. She carried it over to a little side table with two chairs and set it down between them. She popped one in her mouth and moaned at the flavor. The dill and lemon mixed perfectly with the tart leaf and the taste of the shrimp. She swallowed and smiled at Chichi, "Hercule often has random spurts. When he wants to train that is. Or he can't sleep, or Ryan can't sleep. Or someone on the staff. We all know we can go to his room, wake him up and go for a midnight spar or martial arts lesson if we need it. Whatever helps us sleep. It doesn't matter to him if he was asleep for six hours or six minutes. He values our safety."

"I don't know him very well yet, but he seems like a good man," Chichi said, helping herself to the food between them. She chewed slowly to keep herself from devouring the entire tray. It was delicious. "I don't think I should stay here very long. With food like this available all day and night, I'm going to end up getting fat. I don't have the metabolism I did back when I was your age," she joked. She couldn't believe how at ease she felt around Madeline, how comfortable she was talking to this woman that she'd only spent one day with. And Madeline was so different from anyone she'd ever been around before. She was almost proud of herself for being open-minded for once.

Madeline smiled. "Oh, don't worry about that. Sooner or later, everyone ends up in the gym. Hercule likes to make sure his staff is up on the current martial arts defenses. With his line of work in his charities, we get a lot of angry husbands or men who blame him for sheltering women. Mostly because once they check themselves into the women's clinics, they are near impossible to find." She sighed sadly. "I wish the same could be said of your situation, but you come from a special stock, don't you?" she asked. Madeline smiled as a waiter brought them both cups of hot coffee. She looked back at Chichi, "I have to admit, I feel a connection to you. It's not often the Champ brings home one of the women in need, but I'm glad he brought you."

Chichi smiled at her before she sipped the hot coffee. "I feel the same. I haven't had a friend in years," she said. "I'm glad Hercule saved me. I don't know if Maxwell would have ever let me out of that damn room." She shook her head and ate another piece of the shrimp. She looked across the little table and smiled again. "Thank you for everything today. I haven't been able to talk to anyone about this for years. Even my sons knew about it and, well, I don't have a great relationship with either of them, so I couldn't even talk to them about it." She leaned her cheek on her hand and sighed. "It's my fault. I wasn't the mother to them I should have been." She shook her head suddenly and looked up at Madeline again. "Sorry. I'm rambling. Forget I said anything."

Madeline shook her head. "No, it's important. You know? I mean, I'm not a therapist or anything, but you should be honest with yourself. If you get it off your chest, it's one more thing he can't use against you. Though I can't say I know you more than he does. I am free for any story you want to tell though," she said.

Chichi shook her head. "No, that's okay, Madeline. Thank you, though, for offering to listen. Really," she said sadly, sorry that she even brought up Gohan and Goten. She knew that she would never be close with Goten and she was sorry for that. But it was Gohan that really hurt. Even at her most horrible, he had still loved her, still tried to have a relationship with her. But when she sold Goku out to the aliens, that had been the final straw for him. Bulma seemed to be the only one willing to give her another chance, but it was babysteps at this point. That reminded her that she should at least call Bulma at some point and let her know that she was okay.

She looked up to see Madeline looking at her with concern. "I'm okay. Just thinking about all the mistakes I made when I was young. I guess I shouldn't dwell on it though. There's nothing I can do now to change it. I know that. The only thing I can do is to try to change myself and hope that someday they see it."

Madeline smiled and sipped at her hot coffee, the fragrant smell of dinner was starting to fill the dining room as the hour neared. "I think that's a good attitude to have. When people stop listening to you, that's usually when actions speak louder than words."


	4. Honesty

Chichi looked at herself in the mirror, nervously smoothing her shirt down. "This skirt is awfully big," she muttered, looking down at the orange boho skirt that swirled around her legs. She had let Madeline twist her hair back into a low bun at the base of her neck instead of wearing it so high like she usually did. "I don't know about this, Madeline. Are you sure this looks okay?"

Madeline smiled at Chichi in the mirror as she studied her handiwork. "You look fine. And yes, it's okay," she chuckled. "It's definitely your color, see how it brightens your eyes?" She had to say, like this the older woman was quite attractive. She trusted that Hercule would do the right thing and behave himself. This lunch was more about Chichi getting to know the man who had been so generous to her, who was letting her stay safe in his home. Hercule had said she wasn't comfortable about taking from a stranger. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," Chichi admitted. She smoothed down the pale green top one more time before she finally looked away from the mirror. She didn't know why she was so nervous. This wasn't a date. They were just going to lunch as friends. Not even friends, really. They didn't even know each other. "I have to stop over thinking everything," she sighed. She gave Madeline a timid little smile. "Thanks for helping me with my hair and makeup. I would've messed it up for sure," she chuckled. Madeline had even been able to cover up the bruise on her collarbone that showed above the neckline of her shirt. "Do you know if he's ready to go?"

Madeline chuckled, "You know how men are, ready in five minutes while we take a good hour to do it right. He should be waiting by the front door. Don't worry too much about the publicity, we have quite a few restaurants that promise us discretion. That being said, I think he reserved a private room where ever you guys are going." She gave Chichi an encouraging smile. "Relax and have fun, okay?"

Chichi nodded and hugged Madeline quickly before she turned and headed downstairs to meet Hercule. She found him by the front door, just as Madeline had said. He looked nice in his button down shirt and dress slacks; much better than the clothes he normally wore when she saw him on the television. She smoothed her shirt again and walked over to him. "Hi," she said, then mentally smacked herself. Hi? That was the best she could do? She licked her lips and gave him a little smile. "You look nice."

Hercule sucked in a breath of air when he saw her. She was above and beyond what she looked like when they had helped her escape from her house. "Well hey there yourself, Little Lady. You look lovely," he said honestly. The clothes fit her figure perfectly and hid what he suspected were a lot of bruises. Hopefully they would be healing up soon, he wanted to do one up on Maxwell and actually send Chichi to a day spa. She looked like she could use it. "I hope you're hungry."

Chichi nodded. "Very," she admitted. She gave him another smile as he opened the door for her and they walked out to the waiting car. She was surprised at what a gentleman he was, opening the car door for her, offering his hand to help her into the vehicle. "Although I doubt anyone can top the cooks you have working for you. Where are we going today?" she asked curiously. She hadn't even thought to ask before. She suddenly felt a jolt of fear shoot down her spine and she prayed that Hercule wasn't planning on taking her to Goten's restaurant. Oh, that would be beyond awkward.

"Well, I had a few places in mind. A couple I'll save for a later date. How does Mexican sound to you? Not that Taco Bell stuff. Real Mexican? I know the best place in town for it too."

Chichi smiled a bit at that. "That sounds lovely," she said. The relief crashed through her. She would've been content with anything, so long as it wasn't Goten's restaurant. She was happy she could avoid that conversation for the time being. If she ever had to have that conversation at all. "It's been a long time since I ate Mexican food. That sounds really good," she said, shifting a bit in the seat. She never did enjoy making small talk, and it was something Maxwell criticized her about a lot. He expected her to make small talk with his clients when they had business dinners and she felt she had never quite mastered it. Though now in her situation, it seemed almost useful.

Hercule smiled at her as they got into the car. "Maybe when we've decided we are friends, there's another restaurant that you'll love. It's fairly new and getting a reservation is like trying to pull teeth. They're booked months in advance, but it's worth it. The owner makes this plum brandy that is so good. Can't remember the name of it though, just opened up not too long ago, but it's a big hit."

Chichi felt her stomach coil unpleasantly. She knew the name of the restaurant, but she didn't want to go there and she certainly wasn't going to encourage Hercule by providing the name of the place. "Oh. Well, maybe someday we could go there," she said passively, turning to look out the window of the car for a moment. She shuddered to think of what Goten's reaction would be if she showed up at his restaurant. Or even worse, what Paige's reaction would be. Chichi shook her head and looked over at Hercule again. "I think I know which place you're talking about. I don't think I'd like to go there. It's too fancy for my taste. I've heard of it, but I think I'd prefer places that are a little more down to earth," she said.

Hercule laughed. "But they serve the best food, big portions and it's comfort food. I hear the steak and mushrooms are to die for!" he said, laughing at her expression. "Just think about it," he said. He smiled as they finally came to a stop in front of the restaurant and he opened the door, holding a hand out to Chichi to help her out of the car. Walking into the restaurant, he didn't even have to give his name before they were ushered into a private room, cozy and warm. Most of all away from prying eyes. He pulled out a chair for Chichi and smiled at her.

"Thank you," she said as she sat down. She kept looking around, expecting to see the press or someone she knew just pop out of the woodwork. She worried her lip between her teeth and picked up her menu, trying to hide her worried expression from him for a moment so she could calm her nerves. Why did she feel so nervous around him? She shook her head. It wasn't him. It was everything and everyone around her. While she didn't miss the person she used to be, she did miss the confidence she used to have. She hated being this timid, jumpy person she was now. She pulled the menu down a bit to look at him. "I had a nice time with Madeline yesterday," she said. "I really appreciate you having her take me shopping. I'm sorry we spent so much. I kept telling her no, but she just kept buying things."

Hercule threw his head back and laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like her alright. Don't worry. You needed it, so I'm glad it went to a good cause. You get whatever you want on the menu. Sky's the limit." He smiled at her, "I'm glad you had a good time with her. I think Madeline had fun too. It's good for her to have someone she can be girly with, you know?"

"It was nice to have a friend to do something with," Chichi said. "I haven't done something like that since, well, ever." They gave their orders to the waiter and Chichi sat back in her chair to look at him for a moment. She'd never really noticed before how handsome he was. But now that she was face to face with him, she thought she could understand what women saw in him. His sharp, defining features, piercing blue eyes, and that charming smile. She still didn't know what to think of him. On one hand, he seemed like such an amazing man who helped the less fortunate, went out of his way to rescue women who needed help, and treated his staff better than any employer she'd ever encountered. On the other, he lied to her face and everyone else's about Cell and more recently, the aliens. He seemed rather full of himself and he had a reputation for being popular with lots of women. She couldn't figure him out, which side of him was the real him. "So do you do this a lot?" she asked suddenly as she sipped her glass of water. "Rescue women and then take them into your home, I mean."

Hercule chuckled, leaning his head on his hand. "Well, no, not really. I think you are the first one. Special circumstances and all that. Mostly I just donate a lot to the cause. Funded a lot of the shelters to get built around here or refurnished. I can also get a lot of people to donate to the cause too, and ticket sales and all that stuff," he said. "It feels good being able to help someone directly though."

Chichi didn't understand. Why had he chosen her of all people to help like this? It didn't make any sense to her. "Why me?" she asked, leaning forward a bit, searching his eyes as she tried to figure out this unusual man before her. "What about my situation makes it special? I'm not special. Nothing about me is special. And Maxwell… he's no different than any other man like him. I don't understand how you can just take in a perfect stranger into your home like this. You say it's special circumstances, but you don't even know me. I don't understand."

Hercule gave her a look. "Everyone is special, no exceptions. But your situation is unique as in this creep has the means to find you. It was some kind of luck or twist of fate that I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to see him beating on you. After what he did to Phil, he has made a threat towards you. He could do it. No matter what I do, where I put you that might be safe, he would just snatch you up before you knew it. This is the only way I know how to keep you out of harms way. I'll get my lawyers started on finding a legal way for you to break your ties with him, but it's going to take time with him blowing smoke." He snorted, "Some things are rough even for the guy who defeated Cell."

Chichi found her heart warming at his words until he mentioned Cell. Her shoulders slumped a bit and she gave him a disapproving look as though she was very disappointed in him. "When are you going to stop lying to me?" she asked bluntly. She didn't get the satisfaction she had once thought she would have at telling him this, of calling him out on his lies. She frowned sadly before she sat up a little straighter and fiddled with her napkin. "I know you're not the one who defeated Cell," she said before she finally looked up into his eyes. "I know you've been lying all these years. That was my son who beat that monster, not you. So I don't know if I should believe anything you say or not."

Hercule felt his jaw drop open, the blood draining from his face. "That boy is your son?! I... I always wondered where someone like that could have come from." He blinked at her, looking her over. He half expected her to turn golden like the kid had. It was obvious that she didn't share that power otherwise he doubted she'd be in this situation. He frowned the next moment. "How can he just sit by while his mother is being beaten?" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair and gave her a sheepish look, "Okay, I may have made assumptions, but they disappeared after the battle and the camera was left looking at me. I saw an opportunity and I took it. If they ever come forward with the truth, I would gladly let them have the honor."

Chichi huffed and crossed her arms. "I tried to talk them into it. My son and my first husband. But they didn't want the attention. They said they were fine with you taking the glory for beating Cell. I never understood that," she said and sighed. "I guess since they don't mind, I shouldn't either. The whole world expected you to beat Cell anyway, so I guess it makes sense that it worked out that way. Sorry I snapped at you. But you don't have to put up this fake persona around me. You seem like a good person with all the work you do, so you don't have to try to impress me." She fixed him with a look, "But don't judge Gohan for not saving me. Like I've said before. I got myself into this. It's not his job to get me out of it." She relaxed a little bit, a frown pulling at her lips. "It's no one else's job to get me out of it. I did this to me."

Hercule's expression softened and he reached out, tilting her chin up. "Such a remarkable woman, I should have known better than to lie to you," he said, letting go of her. "I promise, no more secrets from me." He could see the look in her eyes and had no doubt that she would put him in his place if he tried it again, "I do put on a lot of airs for the camera, it's true. But it's all just a part I play. People don't want to mess with tough people. I can protect a lot more with smoke and mirrors. If those husbands think that the women that they have been abusing are under my protection, they are going to stay away. A lot of violence was stopped after the Cell games because of what they think I did. I'm not sorry for that."

"No, that's a good thing," she agreed. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "I won't say a word to anyone about it. I promise. If that has helped you to take care of other women in the same situation I'm in, then that's a very good thing." She went quiet for a moment as the waiter returned with their food and set it on the table before them. "At least I know some good came of it. I think that'd make Gohan happy to know, too." She took a bite of her food before she continued to talk. "Those women are lucky that someone like you is there to protect them. I'm lucky for it, too. I don't know what I'd do if you hadn't come to check on me the other day."

Hercule's expression turned serious and he nodded. "I know. It is a scary thought, what might have happened if we hadn't been there in time. I hate to think of what would have happened. I always keep my word, Little Lady."

Chichi blushed a little when he used her nickname again. She didn't know why she liked that so much. She looked at him curiously. "So you know that I've been married twice now. What about you? I know you have a daughter, but you've never mentioned a wife. Were you ever married?" she asked.

Hercule sighed and rubbed at his face, recalling old memories of his late wife. "Yes, happily or so I thought. Abuse runs deeply in my family it seems. I can't escape it. My wife was abused when she was in her teenage years. Badly, about what you are going through. It broke her. Still, she tried her best to put on a happy face and go about her day, but I could see the heartbreak in her eyes. I thought, maybe having a child would help her through that. I was wrong. Her depression got worse and Videl wasn't very old when she committed suicide."

Chichi felt her heart stop. How horrible must that have been to go through for him and his daughter? She reached across the table and laid her hand on his, squeezing it slightly. "Oh Hercule, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice just above a whisper. "I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you." She felt her heart break for him and she rubbed her thumb over the back of his knuckles, wishing she could somehow erase that pain that she could see in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

He gave Chichi a sad smile and squeezed her hand back. "Thank you. We tried to keep it away from the public. Didn't want to dishonor her death any more than what it was." He looked down at his food, "I'd like to think what I do can at least stop more women, or heck, anyone who has been abused to not sink that far. To give them some hope."

"You do, Hercule. People feel safer knowing that you're around, that you're here to protect them. You bring hope to lots of people," she said. She moved her hand up to touch his jaw, lifting his face to her. "I understand now why you did what you did. And you've helped so many people because of it. I'm sorry that your wife took her life. But doing the work you do, I'm certain you've saved so many lives. It's easy sometimes to think that death would be better than living with the abuse. I imagine lots of those women feel that way. But because of you, they do have hope that things will get better. You're a good man, Hercule. I can see that now."

He gave her a smile. "It's good to hear that. Honestly I mean. From someone who knows the real me. Someone who knows that I stole what wasn't mine." He sighed, relaxing back into his chair. It really did feel like a load off of his back. He didn't like pretending, but it was so ingrained into him it was almost like breathing now. "Just smack me upside the head if I get too full of myself. Ryan does it all the time," he said with a grin. "So any more secrets you want to know about?"

"Are there any I should know about?" she countered and set her hand back in her lap. She was surprised at her own boldness for touching his face like that. She didn't know what had gotten into her. "And there's no way I'd ever hit you," she said, looking down at her hands. "I don't like being hit. I'm not going to hit anyone else. Not even playing around." She had enough bad karma as it was, she certainly wasn't going to add to it. "I don't want to hurt anyone. Not that I could hurt you, but still."

He nodded. "Sorry, I shouldn't even joke about that." He leaned back, thinking over his list of things, "Well, I will tell you upfront that I did not okay that film they made about how the fight with Cell went. I mean, bobble heads? Really?" He thought some more, "I don't fake any of my fights despite what the press may think or say. I've only had one wife, two girlfriends. Saved myself until after marriage..." He chuckled at her look, "Too much?"

She cocked her eyebrow at him. "Only two girlfriends?" she asked in surprise. She shook her head. "Sorry. The press always made you seem like such a ladies' man. I guess that's what I get for looking at the covers of those tabloid magazines at the grocery store." There was so much more to this man than the media put out about him. And what was out there seemed to be riddled with lies and exaggerations. "I shouldn't have fed into all that hype. You're a totally different person than I thought you were. It's nice to meet the real you. I like this person a lot more than the man I see on TV."

He laughed, "I don't date fans, personal rule. Some of those people are insane. Oh, there's one more well guarded secret." He grinned at her and reached out his hand to her as if he were meeting her for the first time, "Mark."

She blinked at him, but reached out and shook his hand. "You mean Hercule's not your real name?" she asked, confused. She'd never heard mention of him going by anything else. Something warmed her heart at that. She liked that name better. It suited him more. "So, is it okay if I call you that?"

He chuckled at her. "At the house and when we are alone like this you can if you like. I have my staff under contract that they won't blow my cover. What's more frightening to an opponent? Hercule Satan or plain old boring Mark?" he asked. He rather liked the confused expression on her face, it was kind of adorable.

She smiled warmly at him. Just as he called her by his own little pet name for her, now she had a secretive name she could call him when they were alone. There was something special in that, even if she couldn't quite put it into words. "I won't use it anywhere else where people might hear it," she promised.

He smiled at her. "Thanks for that." He didn't know what it was about this woman that made him so intrigued. She had a presence about her that he loved. The air about her, the way she held herself. She was so proper, it almost ached. He longed to see that broken down, for her to be herself. "So I know I just said lunch, but anything you would like to do after?"

"Oh! Um, I don't know," she stammered. She wasn't expecting anything other than lunch. She tried to think of something they could do, but nothing came to mind. "We don't have to do anything else. Unless you had something in mind?" She was a bit nervous to go out in public too much at the moment. Maxwell had been quiet the past couple of days, but she didn't doubt that he had someone watching her.

Hercule smiled at her. "I don't think you have been in the backyard yet. There's a big garden there and a hedge maze. Something fun I thought of for the grandkids... If I ever get grandkids that is," he laughed. "I know it's winter, but the staff decorate it up real nice with lights and ornaments. Popcorn strings for the birds. It's really something in the spring when everything is in bloom and the fountains are going. We could bundle up and go for a walk, if you like?"

Chichi thought about it for only a moment before she nodded. Some fresh air would be nice, especially if she could get out where no one else would bother them. "That sounds nice," she said. She ate the last of her lunch and realized that he had already finished his. "Soooo… should we go now?" she asked.

* * *

Chichi was almost relieved to get back to Hercule's home. She kept smiling to herself as she thought over their conversation. She'd gotten it off her chest that she knew the truth about him, she could accept and understand it better now, and he trusted her enough to tell her his real name. All in all, she felt they had gotten to know each other quite a bit better, although she wasn't sure if they could exactly call each other friends yet. She followed him through the house and out into the back yard, a small gasp escaping her lips when she saw the incredible landscaping. Frost clung to the trees and plants, making everything seem to glitter. "Hercule, it's beautiful," she breathed.

Hercule looked over his shoulder at her, grinning widely at the look of awe on her face. "You like it, huh? I'm glad! And nobody will bother us back here. It's good to have some space where nosy reporters can't get to," he said as he led the way down into the garden where there was a gurgling fountain in the center surrounded by winter roses and a weeping willow tree.

"That is a good thing. It must get old having the media around you all the time," she commented as she looked all around, drinking in the beautiful garden. "I love those trees. I always thought they were so pretty," she said as they walked closer to the willow. She swayed her hips just the tiniest bit as she walked, trying not to smile at the way the skirt moved and swirled around her legs. Now she understood why women wore this style of skirt; it was fun.

The path led down beneath the branches of the willow, but Chichi was paying more attention to her feet than anything around her and the next moment, her head was yanked back by the bun at the base of her skull. She turned to scramble away, frightened tears pouring down her face as she screamed out,"Help!" She expected to see Maxwell behind her as she turned, but there was no one there.

Hercule turned in alarm, his hands closing into fists on instinct. He didn't know what he was expecting to see. Maybe some thug trying to drag her away, maybe even Maxwell himself, but there was no one. Chichi was yanked backwards by a low hanging tree branch. It looked painful. He rushed over and gently grabbed her holding her still. "Easy there, Little Lady. Everything's okay, I've got you. Just hold on a sec!" he said as he reached behind her and undid the branch's hold on her, murmuring apologies anytime he pulled too hard.

"A branch?" she gasped once he finally freed her and she turned to see the offending limb with a few strands of her dark hair still attached to it. "Oh my gosh." Her hands trembled violently as flashbacks of Maxwell dragging her around by her hair swam in her mind. She choked back a sob, pressing the back of her hand to her lips, and shook her head. "I'm sorry," she squeaked and turned to walk away, fanning her face with her free hand. She felt like a fool for reacting like that.

Hercule tossed the branch away before he reached out to catch her arm, carefully tugging her to turn back to him. "Hey, it's okay. Come here, you're alright," he said softly as he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her in a gentle hug as he did the only thing he couldn't think of to make her feel secure, to let her know that no one was coming after her. "I've got you, Chichi, you're okay."

Chichi hesitantly let him pull her against his chest before she suddenly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She felt so much comfort from his embrace, it almost startled her. She hadn't felt safe like that in a long time. She buried her face into his shirt, inhaling the warm scent of his cologne. "I'm sorry," she whispered, trying to calm herself. "I thought he was here somehow. I didn't mean to lose my composure."

He smiled down at her, gently rocking her back and forth. "Shush, it's alright. After what you've been through, I think it's more than okay to think like that. To be wary, cautious. Whatever you want to call it." He lifted his hand, rubbing carefully at the back of her neck where she had been caught, thinking how much he would love to wring Maxwell's neck. He sighed. He hated that he had to do it the legal route. "He would be hard pressed to get back here without anyone noticing."

Chichi nearly whimpered and leaned more into him as he rubbed at the back of her hair. She bit her lip before she pulled back just enough to look up at him, her eyes still a bit watery and full of worry. He'd been so honest with her that day and she wondered if he would do it one more time. "Can I ask you one more thing?" she asked quietly. At his nod, she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, "Am I really safe here with you?"

He reached up, cupping her quivering cheek as he brushed away a stray tear. "I'll give you my word. You are really safe here with me. I will make sure no harm comes to you again. Not under my roof," he vowed. "If you want, I can even throw in a few martial arts lessons. Some defensive stuff that will send Maxwell running in fear once he sees them."

Chichi nodded up at him, leaning her cheek into his warm hand. "It couldn't hurt to have a refresher course. It's been such a long time since I practiced martial arts. I don't know if I'm any good anymore or not," she said and hugged him tightly again for a moment before she finally pulled away. She smoothed her hair down and kept her hands over it as she moved out from beneath the tree. "I don't think I like willows all that much anymore," she muttered as she headed for the bench near the fountain. She glanced over her shoulder at him and a smirk nearly touched her lips at his expression. "What? They didn't tell you that I used to be a fighter?"

He chuckled and schooled his expression after he picked his jaw up off of the ground. He followed her and moved to sit next to her on the bench. He leaned his head back, drinking in the warm afternoon sunlight. "I suppose that shouldn't surprise me! Considering who your son is, I shouldn't have expected anything less." He scratched at his chin. "But, if you knew some martial arts moves, why didn't you... " He trailed off; she probably had her reasons for not defending herself. It was a mind game those creeps played, making the women think that they some how deserved the beating they got. "Nevermind, my brain caught up with my mouth."

Chichi nodded, glad he didn't press the issue. She'd never tried to fight back because she knew she deserved it. Even before the aliens had come, deep down in her soul she knew that she deserved the way he treated her. Back then she hadn't realized why she did, but now she knew. And on top of that, she was afraid of Maxwell. Even if she'd tried to fight back, she was so out of shape that she didn't doubt he would overpower her. "It's okay," she said, patting him on the leg. She sighed and pulled the pin from her hair, letting it fall down so she could fix her bun, which had gotten rather tangled from the tree. "It would be good for me to train again. If nothing else, maybe it'll get me back in shape."

Hercule smiled at her. "I'm sure you'll be a natural at it," he said before he reached out, stopping her as she started to put it up again. "Hold on there," he said with a chuckle, "it looks good like that." He gently took a strand and sighed at the silky texture of it. The ebony seemed to glow in the sunlight. He draped a piece over her shoulder. Such a simple act seemed to take years off of her.

Chichi bit her lips together and set her hands in her lap, letting him touch her hair for a moment. She wondered if he realized how hard that was for her. Yet at the same time, she couldn't lie to herself; she liked the feel of his hand in her hair. She mentally scolded herself for trusting him so easily, but there was something about him that just warmed her heart and made her feel truly safe. She hadn't felt safe like that since she'd been married to Goku. "I'm just so used to wearing it up like that," she said softly, not offering an explanation why. She knew he knew why.

He gave her and understanding look, nodding. "Do what makes you feel comfortable. I don't want you to be upset," he said, "but it is nice." He pulled his hand back from her. From the few short days they had known each other, she was already making leaps and bounds as far as he was concerned. "You're doing pretty good, you know. What with everything that's happened."

She gave him a little smile. "You think so? I'm trying," she said. She moved to put her hair up again, but paused and set her hands back in her lap. If she was really safe with him, she should be able to leave her hair down, right? "I know you said that I don't have to repay you, but I was thinking maybe some night soon I could fix you dinner? As a sort of thank-you? I know you have chefs and everything, but I do like to cook sometimes," she said with a little shrug.

He smiled widely at that. "I never turn down a good meal. I think that would be great. Sounds like a fair exchange to me," he said with a laugh. "I'll still have to leave a chef on duty for that night, the staff will come after me if they aren't fed, but I think we can come up with something if you were thinking a little more privately," he said with a wink.

She blinked wide-eyed at him as a blush touched her cheeks. "Oh! W-Well… I guess that would be okay," she said, looking out at the fountain again. True, she didn't plan on feeding his entire staff, but the way he'd winked at her made her stomach flutter and her face burn. What on earth? She'd never really felt anything like that before. "You just let me know when and what you'd like for me to fix for you," she said. Why did her face burn like that so much? She nervously ran her fingers through her hair, feeling rather flustered.

Hercule was bad, he knew it and admitted it freely, but there was just something about her. He couldn't help but tease her good naturedly. Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of red and he found it rather endearing. It was honest. He was so used to seeing a lot of fake women who were chomping at the bit to just try to get a glimpse of his wealth. It was a lot of them trying to get his attention. Not the other way around. And this was just a blooming friendship. It was refreshing. "Oh, I'm one of those classic men. I like meat and potatoes." He chuckled, "Probably a bit more than I should. You cook me whatever you feel like cooking."

She nodded, thinking of making roast beef and potatoes. She nearly smiled; that was one of the meals that she made the best. "It might not be as good as your chefs in there, but I'll do my best," she said. "Didn't you say you had matches tomorrow? Maybe when you get home, I could cook for you," she suggested. "I mean, if that's okay. I'm not trying to rearrange your schedule or anything." She ducked her head again, frustration with herself growing in her chest. She had to stop acting like everyone around her was going to react the same way Maxwell would. She was so used to walking on eggshells around him, apologizing for everything before the other person even had a chance to get mad.

"Relax there, Chichi," he said, seeing her ducking her head again, "That sounds fine with me. I'd love a good ole home cooked meal tomorrow when I get home. I usually grab a shower first thing when I get back, but believe me, food isn't much farther down the list!" He smiled widely at her. "And its not me you have to worry about changing my schedule up. It's Madeline. Keeper of the schedule. I just go where I'm told," he teased.

Her breath caught in her throat for a moment as a sudden, unexpected image of him in the shower danced tantalizingly in her mind. She could've slapped herself. Would she never learn? She had only been out of Maxwell's house for a few days and already she was thinking inappropriate thoughts about this man. She felt her face burn again. "Well then, I guess I'll just have to discuss it with Madeline whenever I want to spend time with you," she chuckled.

He laughed. "Or we could be bad and sneak off when she isn't looking! That works sometimes," he said. He wondered if it was wrong, having her cook him dinner. She did offer. Though it did seem rather, well, he didn't know what it seemed like. It was just one friend cooking dinner for the other. No hidden meanings, no nothing. He rather liked that. No one to impress, put on airs for. "I think dinner will be just what I need after a long day of acting like a pompous goofball."

Chichi smiled warmly at him. "Well then, I'll try to make it a really good one," she said. She'd have to talk to Madeline later and make sure they had everything she needed to fix him the dinner she had in mind. She wondered if they would eat in the dining room or if he really would want to eat somewhere a bit more private. Another thought struck her and she turned to him suddenly. "Oh! What would you like for dessert?" she asked.

It was Hercule's turn to have his face turn red. The thought came to him easily, too easily. He couldn't shake the image of her that came to his mind. It was so wrong to imagine her laying on his bed, the silk sheets covering her just so, a delicate finger dipping into a bowl of whipped cream. He coughed, giving his head a shake in an attempt to dislodge the visage. "You, ah, you can surprise me on that one. I'm certainly not picky," he said, giving her a smile, hoping the blush wasn't too bad on his cheeks. Good heavens, he was going to end up with a harassment case if he kept this up.

She tipped her head, blinking at the blush on his cheeks. "Are you alright?" she asked, curious as to what could've made his face turn red like that. It was sort of cute to see the champion like that. She was so used to seeing his confident, boisterous side. This was much better. She couldn't figure out what she'd done or said to fluster him, but she liked it. She gave a little giggle. "Okay, well, I'll try to pick out something for you," she said. She tapped her lips thoughtfully. "Maybe I should ask Madeline what your favorite is. Or maybe she can help me think of something new that you've never tried before. You sure there's nothing you can think of that you'd like to try?"

Hercule gave her a look, a grin spreading on his face. He was going to hell, probably driving the bus at this point. "I'm sure if you talk with Madeline, she could help you come up with something ravishing," he said in a sultry voice, giving her a fair look and a playful wink. His blush was back full force, but he didn't care. It was too much fun to mess with her. Yes, he shouldn't be teasing with her, but if he didn't, how was she ever supposed to loosen up and learn to be herself again?

Chichi's eyes widened at his tone. His voice and the way he spoke sent a shiver down her back and made her ache for him in a way she shouldn't. Her face was hot again and her hands trembled. What was wrong with her? She wanted this man and she didn't know why. It was so wrong. So so wrong. She was still married and she barely knew him. "Okay then," she said quickly and got to her feet. She had to get out of there before she did something she regretted. "I think I'm going to go find Madeline then. Thank you for lunch."

She scurried off then, being mindful of the willow tree as she went. She didn't know why she felt so flustered, why he made her knees tremble like that and her heart skip. She couldn't stop looking back over her shoulder at him as she walked away, feeling the blush on her face again and again every time. She was like some giggly schoolgirl and it bothered her. She shook her head and slicked her hair into its bun once again as she entered the house, looking for Madeline.

She finally found her, cleaning a large room that had been set up as a library as she delegated tasks to other members of the staff. "Madeline!" Chichi hissed and grabbed the younger woman by the arm to drag her over to the corner of the room. She worried her lip between her teeth and looked around nervously before she spoke again. "I offered to make dinner for Hercule tomorrow night and now I don't know what to fix for dessert, but when I asked what he liked, it sort of turned into flirting and now I don't know what to think!" she said, her voice a squeaky whisper.

Madeline blinked as she was pulled away from her task, her hand still poised as if she was grasping a book. She looked at the older woman, the expression on her face was almost comical. She laughed, "Oh my, the Champ was flirting with you?" She gave Chichi a grin. "Dessert, huh? Oh hon, I don't think he meant anything by it. You... you are okay with it?" She was having trouble trying to read this woman. She had a blush on her cheeks, she offered to make dinner. "You know, I'm not sure if anyone has ever offered to cook for him." She smiled at her, "What are you worried about?"

"W-Well," Chichi stammered, uncertain if she should admit the way she felt or not. "I… I don't know what I'm doing," she admitted lamely, her shoulders sagging a bit. "I think he was flirting with me. Whatever he was doing, it made me blush and made my stomach feel all fluttery. Like butterflies. I've never felt that before. I don't know what that was or how to react. I sort of just ran away from him." She bit her lip, feeling guilty about that now that she thought about it. She covered her face with her hands. "Oh my god, I'm an idiot."

Madeline listened to Chichi, smiling at her warmly before she took her arm, gently leading her over to a bench under a window. "Two marriages and neither one of them gave you butterflies before?" She laughed and took Chichis wrists, lowering them from her face. "You are just feeling something new and exciting. Considering the situation you've come from, a husband who abuses you, uses you and doesn't appreciate you. You are probably craving some stability. It's perfectly natural to feel that. I mean, you are a healthy woman with healthy urges. Tell me, when was the last time you made love and felt completely, utterly sated?"

Chichi's eyes went wide at Madeline's blunt question and she yanked her hands away. "That's, I mean, it's none of your…" she trailed off and sighed, her shoulders sagging again. "Never," she muttered. She shook her head and leaned over, covering her face again. "Madeline, I can't be thinking these things about him. I'm still married! I know that Maxwell and I are through, but he's still technically my husband. I don't want to be that sort of woman. It's wrong, isn't it?"

Madeline gave her a fierce look. "No. It isn't wrong. If you believe that, you must think that unsatisfying, abusive sex is the norm. Is it okay to have that, but then wrong to explore something new where you will be cherished, cared for? That might be leagues above what you have now? If it's over, then it's over. You don't need a piece of paper telling you that it's okay to seek a healthier relationship. Has he been completely loyal to you? Does he deserve your faithfulness?"

"No, he wasn't," Chichi said bitterly, sitting up and crossing her arms. "He was unfaithful from the beginning. But that's my point! I don't want to be like him. And I don't want to have feelings for Hercule. It sounds like all these other women want to just jump into a relationship with him and he isn't interested in any of them. I don't want to look like one of those women. I just wanted to thank him for being so nice to me. I just wanted a friend. That's all."

Madeline smiled at Chichi. "Dear, all of us here in this house look out for our boss. We can smell gold diggers miles away. You are not one of them. I believe all you want is friendship, but should there ever be an opportunity to go further than that, don't shy away from that just because you don't want to stray from social norms. You are certainly not like this Maxwell fellow, who sounds like he changes women like he changes underwear. I can tell you aren't like that," she said as she leaned back. "That being said, I think you need a man who appreciates you for you. Who makes sure you get off before they do." She gave Chichi a sweeping look, but then shook her head.

Chichi squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. Sex wasn't something that was supposed to be enjoyed, it was something done for procreation or just to pacify a husband. At least, that's what she'd always been taught. Even when she'd wanted to be intimate with Maxwell, he either pushed her away or used her in such a way that she never got any pleasure from it. And with Goku, she hadn't felt the affection and attraction to him like she should have to be able to enjoy it. Not after she found out what he was, at least. The first year or so they were together, she remembered enjoying sex. But then Gohan was born and her whole image of her family came crashing down. "I haven't enjoyed, you know," she paused and whispered the word "sex… in a very long time. I… I don't know how to enjoy it."

Madeline gave her a smile. "I think you think too much about it. Just have to stop thinking and let your body experience what it's supposed to," she said as she stood up, tugging on Chichi's wrist. She led her back out into the main hallway, back down towards the older woman's room. The silence in the hallway was comforting. "I know you've probably been scared away from sex, but remember to keep an open mind. Good things happen when you least expect it. Don't let Maxwell control your happiness anymore. He doesn't deserve you." She gave the woman a smile, "Take a hot bath, enjoy yourself."

Chichi was totally bewildered. "Wait, wait, wait! This isn't about sex! I'm just making him dinner! That's all. Just dinner!" she insisted, feeling more frazzled. She didn't know how they'd even gotten on this topic. "I just wanted to make sure that the kitchen has all the ingredients I need to make him some roast beef and potatoes for tomorrow. And I wanted to know what to fix him for dessert because he wouldn't tell me!" She nearly pouted at Madeline, frustrated that she'd let herself get so flustered around Hercule. She felt so confused. "And now you've got me thinking all sorts of naughty things that I shouldn't!" She pressed her lips to a thin line, trying to fight the giggle in her throat. "You're a bad influence, young lady. You know that?"

Madeline gave her a mischievous wink. "I know, Ryan is constantly telling me what a bad girl I am." She laughed at the look on Chichi's face. "Mousse. He likes chocolate mousse. I'll make sure that the kitchen has what you need. If you give me a list, I can go throw it at them. I think we will see what we can do about finding you a more private venue to cook and have dinner. There's a staff lounge that has a kitchen in it. Not as big as the main one, of course, but enough for what you have in mind. I'll make sure to clear everyone out."

Chichi finally managed a genuine smile. "Thanks, Madeline," she said. "Sorry I even brought up all the other stuff. I just got flustered. That's all." She went into her room and grabbed a piece of stationery and a pen off the vanity to neatly write out the things she needed for the next night. "I really do appreciate all your help. And please keep this to yourself. Just because you can see that I'm not after Hercule doesn't mean the rest of his staff feels the same. I don't want them to think I'm like the other women. Really, I'm just trying to thank him for everything, to repay him in some small way. It's all I can do."

* * *

Ryan strolled down the garden path and smirked when she saw Hercule still sitting on the bench, looking at the fountain. "Alright, what'd you do wrong? I saw Chichi practically run into the house. You try to lay some smooth moves on her and it backfire?" she teased as she sat down and made herself comfortable next to her teacher.

Hercule gave her a reproachful look. "I wasn't trying too. You would think someone like me would know better to not even think about an abused woman like that. She's just… so different. I think I've just been around those silly fan girls too much." He sighed and leaned back. "She wants to cook me dinner tomorrow. Just dinner. As friends, as a way to repay me for all that I've done for her. Then she asked me what I wanted for dessert. I couldn't help myself."

"Dessert, huh?" Ryan asked, wagging her eyebrows at him. "I see where this conversation went." She couldn't help but to laugh at him. "You offer to have her for dessert?" she asked, flicking her tongue in an obscene way before she threw her head back and laughed. "Aw, c'mon Champ. I'm sure she didn't get too offended. Actually, she looked a bit excited when I saw her in the house. She nearly knocked me over trying to get to Madeline." She considered him for a moment, tipping her head to the side. "Are you really interested in this one?"

Hercule chuckled. "It's too fast, isn't it?" he asked, rubbing at his hair before he glanced back at the house, "I wish she wasn't in the situation she was, but then maybe we wouldn't have met. She's not one of my fans. She didn't seek me out, no lies to try and get me into bed. You know? It's just," he paused, trying to word it right, "I don't know, I think I would like to get to know her more."

"Well then you gotta turn on the charm," she replied simply, leaning against the armrest of the bench and tucking one foot under her. "You can't be all lecherous, old man," she snickered and winked to show him she was teasing. "Actually, I think just being the real you will impress her more than anything. That's a side very few people get to see. Most just see your TV persona, you know? If you wanna get to know her, open up to her. I bet she'll do the same for you."

Hercule nodded. "She demanded honesty from me today at lunch. Told her my real name, too." He grinned, "And you are a horrible influence, you know. I'll see where it goes, what happens." He sighed, it probably was too fast, but in his experience if you blinked you would miss an opportunity.

"Me? A bad influence? Pfft. Whatever. It's not my fault you're thinking about doing nasty, naughty things to her sexy body," Ryan teased, thrusting her hips up into the air over and over. She snorted painfully through her nose as she tried to stifle a laugh. "Or maybe more that you're imagining her doing naughty things to yours?" She snickered again, seeing the heated blush bloom across his face.

He reached over and bopped her on the back of her head. "Now who's being lecherous? I swear you should have been born a man. You certainly act like it."

Ryan shrugged. "Eh. Maybe." She looked at him, seeing something in his eyes that she'd never seen before. Uncertainty. "You really do like her, don't you?" she asked, her tone softer, kinder. She paused and thought back over his words. For him to tell Chichi his real name, he must've thought there was something special about her. "If you like her, then go for it. There's no sense in dicking around and wasting your time. I know it's been a long time for you since you were with anyone. And besides," she paused and wagged her eyebrows again. "Miss Chichi is pretty damn sexy."

Hercule chuckled. "You always say the most charming things," he said, but thought over her words. He knew Ryan would be looking out for him. She wouldn't tell him to go for it if she didn't approve first. "Guess I'd better pick her up before you draw her into a sexy little threesome huh? Mmm, just invite me for the show. I'll bring the champagne."

Ryan's eyes went glossy for a moment, losing herself in a deliciously naughty daydream before she shook her head and came back to her senses. "Now who's putting naughty thoughts in whose mind?" she teased. "Seriously, though. You deserve to be happy with someone for once. If you like her, then don't miss your shot. Go for it. Madeline likes her, seems to think she's a good person. Maddie's a good judge of character. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Unless you're worried about some issues she might have after being with that prick for so long."

"Of course I am worried about that. I don't want her to lump me in with his kind. She was so jittery that first night here. I don't want her to thinking that I will hurt her. I don't even know what kind of damage this creep did to her. She seems to be a survivor, you know? She said she would like some defense training. I might leave you in charge of that until I'm sure she's okay with me tossing a punch her way." He winced, "Actually, maybe I won't be part of that at all."

Ryan nodded her head. "I can do that. We'll work with her. If she means that much to you, I'll do whatever you want me to. I don't wanna see her end up back with that jerk again. You know a lot of those women do that. I want her to know she's strong and she doesn't have to go back to that. I'd much rather see her end up with you and both of you be happy. Anyway, I'm rambling. If you want me to work with her, just let me know when and I'll do it."

"I'll talk with her later, see if I can't work out a schedule for you two to get together. " He gave his student a wink. "Try not to corrupt her too badly," he said with a smirk. "As I recall, you slept with the last woman I sent to train with you and she hasn't been the same since."

Ryan shrugged innocently. "I dunno what to tell ya. I have that effect on people whether I sleep with them or not," she giggled. She clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a little shake. "Come on, let's go get your stuff together for your matches tomorrow. Maddie will kill us if you're running around in the morning like a chicken with its head cut off."

He chuckled and pushed himself up with an exaggerated groan, "Right, right, can't upset the girlfriend." He said as he stretched before he raised his arms over his head, "Showtime."


	5. Playing Dirty

Chichi finally found the gym bright and early in the morning. She tugged at the workout clothes Madeline had bought for her. She wasn't aware that purple came in such a bright shade. She was a bit uncomfortable with the way the clothes clung to her body. She could hear yelling inside the gym before she even entered it and she cautiously peeked her head in, breathing a tiny sigh of relief when she realized there was no argument; it was just Hercule and Ryan warming up.

She stepped into the room, shifting uncertainly from foot to foot. "Morning," she said when they looked over at her. "Were we still going to do a bit of training this morning?" she asked. She knew he had to go to his matches that day and she wasn't sure how much time he had for her that morning.

Hercule caught Ryan's fist as it headed for his jaw and knocked her back before he held up a hand, signaling a stop in their practice so he could smile over at Chichi. "Good morning, Little Lady," he said warmly as he went over to the side where a bench was with towels and bottles of water. He picked up a towel and dabbed at his face while he stole a glance at the clock on the wall. "We definitely have a little time," he said happily. "When was the last time you were in the gym?"

"Uh, it's been a long time," Chichi answered. She wasn't even sure when the last time was. She knew she was still strong, but not nearly what she used to be. And she was a little heavier than she'd like to be as well. She'd always prided herself on being tiny and thin, but she'd let herself go some time ago. What had been the point anyway? It didn't matter what she did or what she looked like; Maxwell hated her anyway. "I'm afraid I'm more out of shape than I'd care to admit," she said sheepishly.

Hercule chuckled. "You don't look bad at all," he said. "But we will get you comfortable with yourself." He set the towel down and moved back out onto the mat. "Okay, we will start with the basics, build some more muscle tone, get your strength back up." He rubbed at his hair a moment while he thought, "A basic workout consisting of about six or seven different exercises. Repeat three cycles of it. We start with thirty squats, ten pushups, twenty lunges, ten arm curls, thirty jumping jacks..." He trailed off as he saw Chichi's eyes growing. "Don't worry, we will just start off with the squats."

Chichi took the dumbbells Ryan handed her, feeling self-conscious. It had been far too long since she'd done this and she felt it on the first squat. Her muscles burned in protest as she went through the movement again and again. But there was the slightest sense of accomplishment, like she was working towards something better, and that encouraged her. "I'm going to feel this in the morning," she muttered, her face already feeling hot. She felt a little wobbly as she crouched again and she had to take a step to steady herself. "Dammit," she whispered under her breath and stood again.

Hercule reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, steadying her. "Easy now. Hold on a second, let's correct your form. You'll throw out your back at this pace," he said as he stood her up straight and moved behind her. He placed his hand on her shoulder, one on her back and carefully pressed her down into a proper squat. "Try not to lean too far into it."

Chichi's heart skipped and a pleasant fluttering filled her stomach at the feel of his strong, warm hands on her. She swallowed harshly and nodded, not trusting her voice in that moment. Maybe this was wrong. Madeline had said it wasn't, that it was okay to feel this way, but she couldn't shake the thought of still being married to Maxwell and what that would make her. She let Hercule guide her through the movement, feeling her muscles burn even more, but she didn't feel off balance this time.

Ryan watched them for a moment, an amused smile playing across her lips. The blush on Chichi's face wasn't lost on her. Neither was the way Hercule stared at her ass every time she bent down. She knew she shouldn't, she really shouldn't, but she couldn't help herself. She gave a loud wolf-whistle at them and shouted, "Yeah, baby! Squat like that! That's hot!" She doubled over in giggles when Chichi jumped and lost her balance.

Hercule's eyes went wide as Chichi lost her balance and he growled out, "Ryan!" before he moved quickly, acting on instinct to grab hold of Chichi's hips, pulling her back against him to keep her from landing face first onto the floor. It was a grave error in judgment as her rear came into firm contact with his crotch as he held her steady, but he didn't want to let go and cause her to fall and get hurt. So he pretended not to notice the way his body reacted to hers, the way his length sprang to attention at the feel of her against him. "Are you alright, Chichi?"

Chichi gasped as he grabbed her, making her feel incredibly flustered as her bottom bumped against his hips. She dropped the weights and pirouetted out of his grasp, feeling breathless. "I'm… I'm fine," she answered. She shot Ryan a disapproving look. This was exactly what she was afraid of, that people would think she was after Hercule. But what scared her more was that she liked the feel of Hercule's hands on her hips, his body pressed against hers. It made her knees tremble and her heart race. A heat lanced through her body and left her aching for his touch. "She just startled me, that's all."

Hercule cursed under his breath and gave Ryan a look before he stalked over to her, lightly bopping her on the back of her head. "Hey now, you do remember what the little lady has just been through, right? Do you think that's appropriate? Gods, I swear you don't think sometimes." He turned back to Chichi, "Sorry about that, but your ah, form. It's better. Keep doing those to start. Be sure to elevate your hands above your heart as you go down."

Ryan felt guilty. "Sorry," she muttered. "I was just teasing. I didn't mean to make her freak out." She scratched at the back of her head for a moment. "I'll just, ah, go get the rest of your stuff together for your matches today," she said and hurried out of the gym before he could scold her any more.

"It's fine," Chichi said and bent over to pick up the weights again. She exhaled slowly as she moved to do the squat again, mindful of her form. She licked her lips carefully and moved through the exercise, trying to calm the tingling she felt in her body. "So are you excited about your match today?" she asked, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Gods, she didn't like what she saw there. Her eyes flicked to Hercule's reflection instead. Now THAT she liked.

Hercule could see the strain in her muscles, but she was going for it. He knew Ryan was just teasing, but that wasn't the point. Chichi was just getting away from a horrible life, a horrible husband who treated her like she was some object. He didn't want to do anything to remind her of that man, that life. They needed to go forward and not backwards. "Ryan didn't mean anything by that. It's a good thing she teases you like that, it means she trusts you. Likes you. I trust her, but damn if she couldn't pick better moments for it."

"I'm just not used to her yet," Chichi said. "She's, ah, different. She seems nice enough, but she does like to joke around a bit too much, doesn't she?" She remembered yesterday, how she'd just jumped in Madeline's lap and made a scene. She completed her reps and set down the dumbbells before she turned to him. "Don't worry about it. It's me who needs to calm down. This is all so new. I'm used to jumping at every little thing. I can't help it."

He nodded. "True, but you need to do that at your own pace. This," He gestured around, "is new, for everyone involved. You can't rush yourself, Little Lady. Take your time and think everything out. Talk it out. Whatever you need. Don't leave it up to someone else though to decide what is and isn't okay. You should feel comfortable enough to tease Ryan, not the other way around."

Chichi blinked at that. She couldn't ever remember teasing someone. It wasn't her nature. She'd always been so serious, she'd never played around with someone like that. "I don't know how to do that," she said quietly and looked down at her hands. She felt awkward, like that was something she should inherently know how to do. She tucked a stray piece of hair back into her bun. "Maxwell doesn't tease. I've never joked around like that."

Hercule gave her a smile and chuckled. "Oh don't worry. If I know Ryan, and I do, she's not going to stop with the teasing. You'll learn, though I think you'll be more like Madeline. You'll be subtle about it. You quite types are all the same. Dangerous," he teased at her. "It's all part of the process. You think nothing is going to change because you are so used to it being one way. You think that nothing is going to change or that if it does, you don't know what you will think of the person you change into. You'll wonder if you will ever feel right in your own skin again." He trailed off, lost in his own memories.

She tipped her head as a faraway look came into his eyes. "Anything is better than this," she said. She wasn't scared of what she would become; she was scared of somehow not reaching that goal and of remaining the person she had been. She didn't want to be that woman anymore. That woman made her skin crawl, to know what she'd done to her own husband, the pain she'd inflicted on her child. She shuddered and snapped her mind away from the memories. "Hercule, are you okay? What is it?"

Hercule smiled and shook his head. "It's nothing. Perhaps a story for another time. It's just," he ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "Ah hell, it's just that I almost became a different person after my wife died. I became closed off for a time and I wondered if I would ever make it back to the way I was. It's good to have friends to help you through the hard stuff. Even if they are loud and obnoxious like Ryan. Or subtle like Madeline."

Chichi nodded. "I can understand how that could affect a person. I'm so sorry," she said softly. She didn't know what else to say to try to make him feel better. "I haven't had friends in a long time. I really enjoyed spending time with Madeline the other day, though. I'd like to think that someday maybe she would count me as a friend." She looked around, feeling a bit awkward again, like she needed to move, to do something. "So, ah, what should we do next?"

Hercule smiled at her. "I like that, ready to move onto the next thing. Let's do some pushups next. Later, when you get all of these basics down, you can just get into a sequence. Like I was saying before, repetition is the best way to get your muscles back into shape and wake up that body of yours. You'll be back in fighting shape in no time."

"Oh god," Chichi breathed before she thought about it and got down on her hands. She lowered herself closer to the floor, then pushed back up. She was surprised that her arms didn't burn more than they did. Of course, hours upon hours of housework, scrubbing floors, cleaning windows had probably helped to keep her arms somewhat in shape. Still, there was always room for improvement. "Do you need to warm up before your matches? I feel like I sort of interrupted when I came in."

Hercule chuckled. "I chased off my sparring partner, but we had about an hour's worth of warming up before you graced us with your presence. None of the fights today should be that bad." He sighed and rubbed at his hair, "To be honest, it's one of the downsides to being so well known. Damned opponents turn all chicken shit in the ring and it's hardly a fair fight. Gotta give them props for the balls I suppose. Occasionally I'll run into the random opponent who is trying to one up me."

"I'm sure you won't have any trouble today," she said, her voice strained as she continued to do her pushups. Okay, so her arms weren't in great shape either. She paused for a second to catch her breath, then set her face determinedly and kept going. She was not going to give up. This was her chance to change herself in every way possible and she intended to do it. "Are we still on for dinner tonight?"

Hercule smiled and nodded. "That's what I'm hoping for, Little Lady," he said. "I'm looking forward to it, really. After a long day of fighting, it'd be good to come home to a special meal. It's not often people offer to cook for me, just for me. It's not the same when it's made from the big kitchen. I can't wait."

She looked up to smile at him, but her hand slipped and she landed on her chest. "Oof!" she cried. Embarrassment washed over her and all she could do was lay her forehead on her arm and try to hide the blush she felt blaze across her face. "Are you sure you want me to cook for you?" she asked without moving or looking up at him. "I'm just a big mess right now. I'll probably burn your house down, I'm so clumsy."

Hercule laughed, warm and rich. "It'll give me an excuse to redecorate. Or rather, Madeline will jump at the chance. She thinks this place is too mansiony." He waved his hand. "Ah well, I'm a big guy, I need a big space," he said before he smiled at her, "Yeah, I trust you. Cook to your heart's desire, just you know, take a breather before you try any heavy lifting."

She gave a little chuckle and got up, brushing herself off. "I'm not usually clumsy like that," she admitted. "Really. I promise. And I won't burn your house down. If I was going to burn down a house, it'd be Maxwell's. With him and his girlfriends inside." Her eyes widened slightly, her lips pursed as if she'd just had a brilliant idea. She blinked and shook her head the next moment. "I don't suppose I'd get away with that. I don't think I'd handle prison well," she said in an almost disappointed tone.

Hercule grinned and held a hand to his chin as if he were considering the idea, "Hey now, that has merit. I'd be willing to bet Ryan might have a few ideas to add as well. Madeline could probably get you out of anything. Just make sure your getaway car is faster than the police... or anything else that might chase you." He laughed out loud.

Chichi shook her head slowly. "With the way my luck goes, there's no way I'd chance it," she said solemnly. Especially not with the police in Maxwell's pocket. She looked at the champ again, sucking her lip for a moment. What was it about him that made her feel so safe yet so jittery all at the same time? Perhaps it was just because he had rescued her that she felt some sort of knight-in-shining-armor appeal. Whatever it was, she couldn't stop the fluttery feeling in her stomach and the thought that she wanted to spend more time with him. "I guess you'll have to go soon," she said and looked down at her shoes. "I hope your match goes well today."

Hercule smiled, tilting his head at her for a moment. After years of living with a wife who had been abused, he could pick up on the subtle movements, the way her eyes darted around the room, the hitch in her breath, the way her muscles tensed up as if she was preparing to run. "You promise that you're alright? I know this is pretty crazy," he said as he moved around, picking up his towels and bottles of water so he could stash them in his duffle before he slung it over his shoulder.

"I'll be okay," she answered, following him as he moved around the room. She felt safer with him there, like if she just stuck close to him Maxwell couldn't get to her. She didn't even realize she was doing it until she nearly bumped into him. "Sorry," she muttered quickly and stepped back. "So, ah, I'll have dinner ready when you get back," she said, chewing at her nails, hoping she hadn't upset him by being so close. "Sorry if I got in your way," she said quietly, the sound muffled by her fingers.

Hercule laughed and looked down at her. "Oh yeah, you really got me there," he said as he reached out and took her fingers from her mouth, looking down at the nails and tsked her before he let go. "You're alright there, Little Lady. I'll see you when I get back tonight. Don't work too hard today," he said as he turned for the door. "Keep practicing the squats and try to combine them with the pushups."

She nodded and watched him go, turning and stomping her foot in frustration once he left the room. "What is WRONG with me?" she hissed to herself. She knew she shouldn't have felt this crush on him, but she couldn't make it go away either. She didn't know what was happening, but she didn't want to think on it anymore. Instead, she turned to the gym, realizing she had the entire place to herself. "Might as well do something useful," she muttered to herself and went to the nearest machine, thinking of spending the whole day in there and just working herself into exhaustion so she didn't feel these weird feelings and didn't have to think about him.

* * *

Hercule wasn't sure if being at the ring made things better or worse. He slipped into his loud and boisterous persona easily after years and years of honing it for the cameras. He grinned widely, loudly predicted the fights and how his opponents were going down. He took a breather in the locker rooms after the press had finally been chased away. "Gods, that gets tiresome," he muttered under his breath as he carefully wrapped his hands for the match.

"Aw, they love you," Ryan teased. She looked around at the other fighters backstage. Some of them she recognized from previous fights and even gave a nod of greeting to. But there was one she hadn't met before, but had heard of him. A newbie with a promising future, or so the media said. She spied him across the room, a tall muscled guy with too-long blonde hair. She nearly snorted. "Look at him. Thinks he's tough shit, going up against the champ today. Punk doesn't stand a chance against you."

Hercule turned his head to the side, looking over at the man Ryan pointed out. "Ah, yeah, him. I've seen him around some of the smaller arenas around town. I'm surprised he made it up here. He must have really impressed someone," he said as he watched the kid wrapping his hands up. "Shit, he's wrapping his hands wrong. He's going to have to learn that mistake the hard way." He finished with his own and turned to Ryan. "Five matches today. I think they are trying to run me into the ground, yeah?" he snickered.

"Pshhh. Let the fuckers try. Ain't none of them good enough to take you on. Let them run their mouths and think they're hot shit. And if they get too carried away, I'll just kick 'em in the balls for ya," she answered. She looked over at the blonde fighter again and saw him staring at Hercule. She pulled a face at him and he blinked at her. "Keep starin', bitch! Cause he's the last thing you're gonna see before he knocks your sorry punk ass out!" she called loudly across the room. She smirked in satisfaction when all he did was turn away and ignore her. "Yeah, he's scared of me," she boasted.

Hercule barked a laugh. "You think everyone is afraid of you. Now who's hot shit?" he asked as he pulled her close and ruffled her hair mercilessly. "They should be afraid of you, I know what you are capable of. You fight dirty, too. Going below the belt. It's like you never want another man to have kids EVER," he teased and let her go. "You keep it up, keep them all nervous and shit." He pulled back and rubbed at his hair, "Hey, about earlier, back at the house. I'm sorry I snapped at ya."

"Oh, no worries," she said dismissively as she attempted to fix her hair. "I just couldn't help myself. You two are so cute. You like this one, don't you?" she teased, wagging her eyebrows suggestively at him. "I know you do. You can't tell me you don't. Plus you got that romantic little dinner with her tonight, too." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him expectantly, as if she were waiting for some sort of confession. "Besides, I saw you staring at her ass. You can't lie to me."

"Gods, I can't take you anywhere," Hercule muttered. "You only saw that because you were staring at her ass too, pervert," he teased at her, unable to keep the grin off of his face. He sobered a second later at the look she gave him. "Yes, okay? Yes. But she's a hot mess right now and certainly doesn't need any of that making it harder for her to think right now. Tonight is just a dinner because she wanted to thank me. It's just been a while since I've done the whole dating scene. You know that."

"Maybe it's time to put yourself out there, Champ. I'm not saying go on the prowl, but if the opportunity presents itself, maybe you should think about it. It's a rare thing to find a bitch that ain't after your money. And I honestly don't think this one is. I mean, that husband of hers has shit tons of money and she wasn't happy. So she already knows that it doesn't matter how deep your pockets are, money ain't gonna buy happiness." She sighed and looked at him. "It's okay for you to be happy again too, ya know? Michelle wouldn't want you to be unhappy."

Hercule looked at Ryan as she spoke about his wife and he rubbed at her hair. "Yeah, I know." He still felt a twinge of pain at her loss. Thinking of her always strengthened his resolve, to keep doing what he did to help keep what happened to her from happening to anyone else. "It was never about the money," he said and rubbed at his hair again. "I'll think on it. It is a rare event to find someone who has no interest in the money, or the cars. Or anything else." He sighed and stretched, "Guess we'd better get this show on the road before I start reminiscing too much and become some sob fest."

Ryan gave him a sympathetic frown and hugged him tightly for a moment. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get you all worked up. I just don't want to see you lonely. You deserve to have someone that will make you happy. That's all," she said and pulled back, flashing him a brilliant smile. "Well go on. Get yer ass out there. The fans want to see the champ in action."

Hercule chuckled, hugging her against him for a moment before he let go and stood up straighter. "You know, you may not believe it, but there's a heart of a romantic beating in that girly chest of yours," he teased before he ducked a mock swing at his head and he headed for the door. "Keep everyone in line while they wait."

Ryan grinned and slapped his ass as he headed for the arena, then laughed loudly as she made her way out to watch the show. Even when she wasn't scheduled to fight, she liked to watch her mentor in action. Plus there was something intoxicating about the energy in the stadium, the way the fans cheered or booed the fighters, how intense it all was. She gave an excited little shiver and settled into a seat in the front row to watch.

* * *

Hercule didn't seem to have any problems with the matches that day, even though Ryan could tell he wasn't completely into it. The fans didn't know otherwise; to them, he was still the confident, loud showman he always was. But she knew him better than that. He had other things on his mind and she blamed herself for saying anything. Still, it needed to be said.

She cheered with the crowd as the announcer proclaimed that it was time for the final match, Hercule against the new fighter, the kid who called himself Blaze. She snorted. What a dumb, half-assed attempt at a name. She booed him when he came out to the arena. "Mr. Satan's gonna make you his bitch!" she shouted loudly. "Make it easy on yourself! Just go ahead and bend over so he can kick your ass, dickface!"

Hercule had to stop himself from just shaking his head at Ryan. He could hear her over the roar of the crowd as the new fighter came out into the ring. Hercule stood proudly, his hands on his hips, his head tilted slightly back as he sized up his opponent before he grinned. "First time in the ring with a real opponent, kid?" he asked as he dropped down into a fighting stance, "I'll see if I can't go easy on ya, but make no mistake. You're going down!"

Blaze smirked and tossed his long hair over his shoulder, flashing a big smile around at the fans before he turned his attention to Hercule. He raised his arms, curling his hands into tight fists. "I've been around the ring plenty of times. You're past your prime, old man. It's time for a new champion around here!" The bell rang and he launched himself forward, swinging for Hercule's face. He growled when the other man caught his fist and doubled over as Hercule's fist hit his stomach. "Bastard," he growled and brought his elbow up to catch Hercule's chin, then swung his fist again, connecting with his cheek.

Hercule's eyes widened as soon as the kids fist connected with his face. He heard the sickening sound of something crunching before the pain erupted over his face and he stumbled back, cursing loudly. His head was dizzy and he blinked, trying to get his bearings when the kid hit him again. Hercule found himself knocked down to the floor as pain flooded his system. "What the hell?" he breathed as he pushed himself up, stumbling backwards away from his opponent. He could feel blood running down his chin from a busted lip.

Blaze grinned as the champ stumbled away from him. He curled his fists tighter around the rolls of coins he'd hidden beneath the wraps, making his punches even that more intense. He moved forward and slugged Hercule across the face a couple more times before he drove his fist hard into the champ's abs, doubling him over. "By the way," he hissed in Hercule's ear, "Maxwell says hello." He brought his fists together and slammed them down on Hercule's spine, sending the other man sprawling on his chest.

Hercule felt something grind together on his back as more pain lanced through him. His anger was quickly growing though at the sudden mention of Maxwell. Chichi's husband paid this kid to do something. Quite possibly kill him in this very ring or at the very least to maim him in a way that he wouldn't be able to protect her any more. If he went down like this, what would that do to all those people he protected?

He growled and forced himself up, moving carefully as he felt his bones grinding together. He blinked a few times to clear his vision. "So, that's how a punk kid makes his way to the top. Not through any talent, but through lies and cheating. You aren't even worth my time," he growled as he assessed the situation. He knew what he had to do, stay ahead of the kid and not let him get within reach to hit him. At the same time he had to get close so he could take the kid out. If he could just get behind him, then he could expose the fraud, the violation.

Ryan was practically dancing on her toes as she watched Hercule get back up. This kid wasn't supposed to be THAT good. "FUCKER!" she shouted at him, joining the crowd in their cries of anger and disapproval. Something was wrong, she could see it in Hercule's face. This kid had done fucked up. And now he was gonna get it.

Blaze extended a hand towards Hercule, beckoning him forward. "C'mon, Champ," he mocked. "Let's see what you got, old man. You're not the earth's hero anymore. Look at you bleedin' like a stuck pig. You're nothing but a joke!" He swung at Hercule's face again, but his eyes went wide as Hercule ducked and grabbed his wrist in one fluid movement, twisting his arm behind his back. Blaze yelped in pain and tried to free himself, but Hercule's grasp was inescapable.

Hercule had to stop himself from rolling his eyes as he swept Blaze's legs out from under him and pressed him hard down into the mat, his knee digging into the kid's spine. "That's funny. You want to talk about jokes?" he asked as he looked up to the ref, growling, "Stop the match, this fight is over." He used one hand to hold the kid's behind his back and the other ripped the bandages away. The stadium grew silent as the roll of coins fell from the fighter's hands and angry shouts, boos and other insults were hurled towards the ring.

Hercule leaned over the kid. "I hope he paid you well. It's the last paycheck you'll be getting for a long while," he said as he stood up and let go of the kid. "It's obvious that you'll never be a real man." He closed his eyes as he was declared the winner by default and he waved at the ref, shaking his head and spoke loudly, "No! I'm no winner. When someone cheats in the ring, no one wins. I will only take my victories if they are through honest, hard work. This is just a disgrace!"

Ryan only saw red as the referees escorted the other fighter out of the ring. She jumped the barricade, flashing her backstage pass at security so she could make her way to Hercule as he left the ring. "That cock-sucking little shit-ass," she growled as she ushered Hercule away from the ring. "He fucking cheated! I knew something was up when you dropped like that. I swear to god, I ever see that prick again and I will make him eat his own dick. How dare he!" She carried on as she made Hercule sit down and she popped an ice pack and pressed it to his face. "He just threw away his career. Doesn't he know better than that? I mean, fuck! Now we know why he was wrapping his hands all weird and shit."

"Maxwell sent him," Hercule said as he leaned his face into the ice pack she pressed against his cheek. "Damned if something didn't fracture," he muttered as he felt his body ache all over. He would have to have an x-ray, he was fairly sure. Though he wasn't sure what good that would do. Ice would be the best thing. He would have to relax in a hot bath later too. Hopefully his back wasn't too messed up and that no ribs were cracked. "Can't imagine that kid is going to get paid since I walked away from that."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Ryan screeched. She pressed her lips to a thin line and shook her head. "This Maxwell bastard really does think he owns the city, doesn't he? Let me go rough him up. Please? It'd serve him right for pulling this kind of shit. Gods, where does he get off? I can't stand men like him! Thinking they own their women and shit. Well I got news for that fucker. He ain't shit. He may think he is, but when this is all said and done, he'll be nothing. Mark my words. I'll kill him my goddamn self if I have to."

"Ryan," Hercule said and shook his head. He leaned back, taking the ice pack from her as he looked up at her face. The anger he saw there warmed his heart. "Don't. He's just proven even further that he thinks he can get away with just about anything, including murder. I don't want to lose you like we lost Phil. That bastard has covered his ass and I know he won't hesitate to do whatever is necessary."

"Yeah, and that's the fucked up thing about it. Maddie reported what happened to Phil and the police said he hasn't been missing long enough to worry about," Ryan growled. "I guess when you're getting paid, you don't go arrest the man who's paying you, huh?" She shook her head in anger. "I really, REALLY want to go bash that guy's head in. He deserves it for what he did to you." She didn't want to admit it, but seeing Hercule beaten down like that rattled her. He always kept her safe, had taught her everything he knew. He was like some weird combination of best friend, brother, and father to her. She thought of him as being invincible and seeing that he was not shook her to her core.

"Don't you worry. We haven't seen the last of him. No use going to look for a fight when you know it's headed your way. Besides, if we retaliate, he will know that he got to us. Best to not let it show. It'll piss him off even more than that. People who are angry make mistakes. He's going to trip sooner or later," he said as he sat back with a groan. "Damn kids. Making me feel old."

Ryan chuckled at that. "You ARE old." She sighed as she looked at him before she offered him a hand to pull him to his feet. "C'mon, Champ. Let's go get you checked out before we go home. Don't forget, you got a hot meal waiting for you. And maybe some dessert, if you're a good boy," she teased.

Hercule felt a heat flash across his face as he wrapped an arm around Ryan's shoulders. "You are a very naughty girl, you know that?" he said as they walked out, grabbing his stuff as they exited the building. He looked up and down the street, half expecting Maxwell to be standing there in his expensive suit with a knowing sneer on his face. "Damn, just getting to be where you can hardly trust anyone in this town," he muttered as he got into the car with a groan. He spared a glance at Ryan as she slipped into the car after him and shut the door. At the stern look she gave him he sighed and leaned back, "Fine, fine. Anthony, take us to the hospital."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I have to say this or someone will pitch a bitch, I'm sure. I know that Hercule's wife's name was Miguel. However, we felt that name sounded a little too masculine and so we changed it to the more feminine sounding Michelle.


	6. Dessert

Chichi fussed over the little dinner table set on the balcony, wondering when Hercule would finally join her. She'd spent most of the afternoon banging around the staff kitchen, watching Hercule's matches on the television while she prepared their dinner. It had turned out rather well, save for the last match. She was steaming mad about that. Didn't anyone have any honor these days?

She'd let Madeline pick out her clothes again - a rather loud purple skirt with a simple black top that was a bit tighter than she was used to wearing. She kept tugging at it; the neckline was a bit low for her taste and the way the shirt hugged her skin showed off her curves a bit too much. She'd put on a little bit of weight over the years and it bothered her. That was the only time Maxwell had ever paid her a compliment, if you could even call it that. "At least you have tits and an ass now."

She shook her head, pushing him from her thoughts. Madeline had said that she looked amazing and that her curves were sexy. Chichi had blushed furiously and muttered a thank-you, unsure of how to take being called sexy by a lesbian. She supposed she should've been flattered and just went with it.

The early winter air was a bit cold that evening, but the balcony held outdoor heaters so that they could sit outside and be comfortable while they ate. Madeline had laid out a couple blankets on the bench seat on the balcony, just in case, but shot Chichi a mischievous wink when she said it. Chichi shook her head at the blankets and turned away from them as she heard the glass door to the balcony open. A concerned frown crossed her face the instant she saw him. "Hercule," she gasped and hurried over to him, looking him over. "Are you alright? I watched your matches today. I can't believe that other fighter cheated like that! Do you need anything? Can I get something for you to make you feel better?"

Hercule stepped out onto the balcony, seeing her concerned look, he cursed Maxwell for bringing more problems into her life, but she didn't need to know that. His stomach growled loudly and he laughed. "I'll be alright. Some good food should put me right as rain, Little Lady," he answered with a wide smile, wincing only slightly. The sight of her nearly took his breath away, the way the shirt clung to her body, accentuating her curves. The bright splash of color her skirt was contrasted against her skin beautifully. Madeline had done well helping her set up. In more than one way. "That smells really good," he said as he sat down with a groan, his muscles aching in protest. The bastard sent by Maxwell had done his best to mess with him. He ended up with a fracture in his jaw, but there wasn't much to do except to take the pain killers and wait until he healed up. The cooler weather probably wasn't going to help very much. "Thank you for cooking, Chichi."

"You're welcome," she said and sat down across from him at the little table. She tilted her head in concern. "Are you hurting? You can go lay down and rest after you eat. I don't want you to sit out here in these hard chairs for too long if you're sore." She took a bite of the dinner she'd made, thinking about that cream he'd given her the first night she'd come to his house. "Do you want help putting some of that cream on? It might make you feel better. I can help you after dinner if you want me to."

Hercule nearly choked on his first bite of food at her offer. "Oh no, I'm good," he insisted, though half of him wanted to accept, but he seriously doubted she would appreciate it if he jumped right to that part. "This is fantastic, Chichi," he said, loving how the tender beef seemed to melt in his mouth. He moaned appreciatively at the perfect flavor of it. "Really, this is the best I've ever had."

She gave him a little smile. "Really?" she asked. She beamed inside when he nodded. "I hoped you would like it. Oh! And I made you some dessert. Madeline helped me pick that out since you wouldn't tell me what you wanted," she teased. She leaned over to take another bite, not wanting to somehow drip anything onto her new skirt, and had to tug the neckline of her shirt up again. "Silly thing," she grumbled to herself under her breath. Why had she let Madeline talk her into some of the things she did, she would never know.

Hercule had a pleasant view of Chichi's neck and the way her shirt angled down to reveal the gentle swell of her breasts. He had to take a careful breath to control himself as his heart beat faster. It had been a long time. He couldn't help but tease back at her. "Oh, I know what I want for dessert," he said before giving her a wink, loving the blush that bloomed across her cheeks. She was really something. "What did you make?"

"Chocolate mousse," she squeaked a little too quickly and ducked her head to look down at her dinner again. No wonder his face had gone red the day before when she asked him what he wanted for dessert. Apparently dessert could mean something completely different and she had been clueless. "Madeline said it was your favorite. I hope I made it right," she said quickly, her face burning hot. Why did he have to make her feel like this, like she could just throw all caution to the wind?

He smiled at her, leaning his head on his hand on the table. Something about her just warmed his heart and he remembered what Ryan had told him. Not to dick around. He wanted to find out more about this woman, to let her know he was interested. Not just a warm body to fill the cold spot in his bed, but as someone he could talk to truthfully. Someone he could be himself with and not have to be fake. How quickly she had taken that position. "I'm sure it's delicious," he said softly, reaching across the table with his hand and gently covered hers, swiping his thumb over her knuckles.

Chichi's heart fluttered at the feel of his strong hand on hers and she smiled. "I hope so," she said quietly. She didn't pull her hand away as she picked up her fork with her free hand. It felt nice to hold his hand, to have that closeness. She liked spending time with him, liked it when he touched her or held her hand. "Did you have fun today? You looked like you were enjoying yourself out there. Well, until that last match, anyway. I enjoyed watching you at least."

Hercule felt his heart beating faster, he felt like a school boy with a crush. He smiled at her and nodded. "I know it's a show but I've been doing it for so long it's habit now. I think some of them were out for blood today! I put them in their places though," he chuckled, "I'm glad you watched me."

She turned her hand over under his and let her fingers curl around his palm. She really did feel safe with him. She wasn't sure how, but somehow deep down in her soul she knew that he wouldn't hurt her. "You certainly did. Though, I have to say, I was cheering for the other fighters," she teased, but snickered, giving herself away. "I'm kidding. You're the only one I would cheer for." Something in her jumped at that. She teased him. She'd never really done that before. But it felt so natural sitting here with him, she hadn't even thought about it.

Hercule reached up, placing his free hand over his heart, looking hurt. "You are cutting me deep, Little Lady!" he cried before he picked up his fork again, eating with gusto. It tasted better than it had a moment ago and he couldn't stop smiling as he let their fingers interlace together. It felt good, a light feeling in his chest, an excitement he hadn't felt in a while. "Chichi…" he said before he trailed off, not sure how to proceed, "I'm glad you are here. Really, very glad"

He took a deep breath, seeing the hesitation on her face. "I know it's fast and feel free to stop me. I will stop if you say no. But, gods… I don't want to lose this opportunity. I feel like something is tugging at me, screaming at me to make a move."

Chichi's eyebrows raised in surprise and her heart raced. "What do you mean?" she asked as nervousness and excitement slammed through her senses. She felt a bit dizzy. She wasn't expecting him to make such a sudden, bold announcement like that. Was he feeling things for her the way she felt for him? How could this happen? They'd only known each other for a few days. And what sort of a move did he intend to make? She blinked at him again, trying to read him, but she'd never been very good at that. "I don't know what to say to that," she said quietly, feeling a bit awkward and unsure of herself.

He gave her a smile as he finished off the last morsel on his plate, setting his fork down and pushing it away. He leaned over on the table, reaching up with his free hand to carefully brush over her cheek before he cupped it in his palm. "I want to get to know you, Chichi. I know it seems fast, but I have a good feeling about you. I've never been one to sit on the sidelines and let an opportunity pass me by, Little Lady." He smiled to himself, remembering what Ryan had said to him. "And I don't think a beautiful woman like you needs to be left in the dark, wondering about it. If that makes sense? It's been my experience that life is too short to waste time. But if you don't like this, just say the word and I'll drop it."

Chichi let herself lean into his touch, a smile pulling at her lips even as a blush touched her cheeks. "It does seem sudden," she agreed. "But I'd like to get to know you better, too. I just hope you can be a little patient with me. I've never had a functional relationship. Not really. Are you sure about this?" She stopped and chewed her lip. She wasn't even sure she wanted a new relationship. She had barely gotten away from the old one and now here she was entertaining the thought of starting a new one.

Hercule chuckled, "Is anyone really sure about anything?" He smiled and brushed his thumb over her heated cheek. She really was a lovely woman and he suspected that she was younger than she looked, all the stress that had been piled on top of her shoulders, the way her husband had to have been treating her. He couldn't believe no one had wanted to help her, not even her son. How could he stand by and let this happen? "I know it doesn't give you much time to trust me. I am not sure what I could do to convince you that I would never treat you like that. We could just take this nice and slow, see if we like where this goes. If not, then we had some fun along the way. At least, I hope that we would have." He scooted his chair closer to her, their knees touching under the table.

Chichi's breath caught in her throat, her heart racing even faster. But it was the butterflies in her stomach that really got to her. She'd never felt like that before. "Okay," she squeaked. Her face grew even hotter at her lame response and she looked down at the table to try to hide her face for a second. Why did he have to make her feel so flustered? She chewed her bottom lip before she looked back up at him. "I think I'd like that, too. But…" she paused and swallowed before she pulled back a bit from him. "Hercule, I shouldn't. I'm still married. I know Madeline said that the piece of paper didn't matter. Our relationship is over, but I just don't know. I hate being tied to that man. But I don't want to be like him. Our marriage did mean something to me at one point."

Hercule felt a surge of amazement at this woman in front of him. Some women that he had throwing themselves at him were still married and they didn't care. Not once did they say anything about the rings on their fingers. And they were probably happily married and only came after him with the intent to come away with some of his cash in their pocket. "You are a gem among pebbles, Chichi. He doesn't deserve these kind words. I am glad you take marriage seriously, but it's a marriage that hurt you so deeply. A marriage is supposed to be an equal partnership, where you share your pain and happiness with the one you love because they love you in return." He sighed, letting his hand drop a little so his thumb could brush over her lips, soft as silk. "I can't see how you are like him at all."

Oh if he only knew the truth. But she couldn't tell him now. He'd throw her out on the street, wouldn't he? If he knew the things she'd done in the past, the way she'd treated her family, he'd drag her back to Maxwell himself. "Partnership?" she asked softly. "I wonder what that's like." She'd never had that in either of her marriages. When she was with Goku, she shouldered all the responsibility herself because she didn't think he was capable. And with Maxwell, he made her take care of everything because she was the woman and that was her job as far as he was concerned. "Hercule, I'm not as innocent as you think I am. I told you I brought this on myself. I just don't want you to have some idea of me that isn't true," she said nervously, still leaning into his warm touch. The feel of his thumb over her lips made her tremble and long for more.

Hercule gave her a small smile. "I know. We all have secrets, pasts we wish we could forget or change. I know the woman who I've met, who I want to get to know. Who you were before doesn't matter to me. If you want to tell me some day, that's fine, I promise you that I'll remember what I've said." He smiled at her, "Isn't that what a partnership is supposed to be? Two people working to make each other happy? But each working to make it easy to make the other person happy?" He chuckled softly. He paused and pulled back slightly. "I'd like to show you first hand. We don't have to be married for that," he said. He brushed his thumb over her lips again. He couldn't get over how soft her skin was.

Chichi lightly kissed at his thumb as he passed it over her lips this time. "I'd like that," she whispered as she reached up to cup his hand with her own. She turned a bit more towards him, feeling that nervousness and excitement burning in her chest, her stomach. She wasn't sure how far to go, how to show him she wanted to kiss him without coming across as too aggressive. She didn't want to be seen like that, like one of the women who chased him, pursued him so eagerly. She leaned a little closer, losing herself in his warm blue eyes.

He smiled at her, more than picking up on her movements, subtle, endearing. His heart warmed at that. Most of his fans, women he tried to take on dates were in his lap before even the first bite of food had been consumed. This woman was worth his attentions, he was positive of that now. He leaned down, throwing all caution to the wind as he pressed his lips to hers. It was like a sigh echoed around them, a relief. The premonition of something wonderful about to happen. He carefully cupped her cheeks in his hands, tilting her face upward as he kissed her. She was sweet, soft, and he was hooked in an instant.

Chichi's eyes flew wide for just a moment as his lips met hers before her eyes fluttered closed. She sighed against the kiss, letting him kiss her deeply. Oh, he was a good kisser. She'd never shared such an amazing kiss that made her feel like she was falling, that gave her this amazing swooping sensation in her stomach. She curled her fingers around his forearms as he held her face just so, and she let her tongue dance against his, taking his lead. She felt so cherished and safe in that moment. A tiny moan escaped her lips and she pulled back suddenly, her face turning ten shades of red. "Sorry," she gasped, "I didn't mean to do that." She licked her lips briefly; they felt hot and swollen from their kiss.

He smiled against her, leaning his forehead against hers. "Hey, don't worry. That's a good thing, isn't it?" He asked as he chuckled, brushing his fingers across her cheek. His heart pounded in his chest and he wanted more of her, but he didn't want to scare her off. Small steps, he thought, small steps. He looked over his shoulder at the bench covered in blankets. He turned back at her, giving her a wink, "So, how about dessert over there?"

She gave a nod and got to her feet, taking his hand in her own to lead him over to the bench. She picked up the blanket and let him sit down, draping it over him before she moved to sit next to him and pulled part of the blanket over herself. Feeling a bit brave, she looked at him again and licked her lips. "So I'm guessing you weren't talking about the mousse when you said you wanted dessert?" she asked.

He smiled at her, drawing her into his arms, letting her relax against him. "Actually, I was. Didn't want to overwhelm you, but if you are hungry for something else, far be it from me to keep you from it," he teased her. "But I'd hate for all that hard work to go to waste." He tilted her chin up, feeling a warmth wrap around him. It was more than the covers around them both, the warm body in his arms that seemed to soothe away his aches of the day. "Though, you are sweeter than any dessert," he said as he leaned down, kissing her soundly again, drinking deeply from her.

Chichi didn't know what she was doing, but she threw all caution to the wind as she kissed him back, sliding her fingers into the dark curls of his hair. He tasted impossibly sweet as their tongues danced against each other, his whiskered chin scratching at her face. She giggled against the kiss for a moment before she slid her hand down his face to trace his jawline with her fingertips. "We can still eat it if you want. I did work hard on it for you," she breathed before she captured his lips again. That damn dessert could wait.

Hercule groaned against her. That wasn't the only thing she was working hard on. He tried to will it away. This was supposed to be about her, to show her that he could be different than any husband she had before, that this crazy, fast relationship could be something good. "In a moment," he breathed between kisses on her face before he tugged her into his lap, adjusting the covers around them. "You are fantastic, you know? Dinner and this?"

Chichi gasped as he pulled her into his lap and she felt the hardness of his body brush up against her. Her face went red again as her core throbbed unexpectedly. Oh, she couldn't. Not on a first date, if this could even be considered a first date. She pressed her lips to his in an attempt to stifle the whimper in her throat. "Mark," she breathed and kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck and tilting her head to deepen their kiss.

Hercule couldn't stop the shudder that worked its way through him as she moaned his name, his real name. It sent a spark of hot pleasure down through his spine, making him throb against her. Oh by the gods, he thought as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly against him as he ravished her mouth. She was so sweet, so soft. More than that, she was honest with him and that was more of a turn on than anything. Though her soft, supple form in his arms didn't hurt.

She shivered against him as his strong arms pulled her tightly against him. She loved the feel of his strong, muscled chest beneath her. And the sensation of his hard length pressing up against her made jolts of pleasure and excitement shoot up her spine. Oh gods, how big was he? She was curious and frightened to find out at the same time. She pressed herself back against him, a low moan in her throat. Her core throbbed again in a way that made her whimper against his lips, wanting him so bad, but at the same time feeling that it was so wrong.

Hercule could barely stand it. She was so wonderful in his lap, in his arms. Soon, they were going to be past the point of no return, but he didn't want that. Not for this first time. He wanted it to be special for her, to show her it could be pleasurable for her. Reluctantly, he pulled back, kissing at her cheek, her neck until he finally pulled back. He gave her a smile. "You are really special, you know?" he sighed and moved her off of his lap, tucking her next to his side, deftly ignoring his throbbing length. She needed more than that right now. She needed to know she could trust him. He leaned over and purred into her ear, "Let's have that dessert now."

Relief crashed through her system as he stopped them from going too far. She wasn't sure if she had the nerve to stop them herself. She wrapped her arms around him, snuggling into his side for a moment. "Thank you," she whispered to him. Her mind was swirling with questions, but the one thing that really stood out in her mind was that he respected her. He had to if he'd stopped them like that. Any other man would've used her for his own selfish wants and not thought twice about it. But Hercule wasn't like that. And that just made her feel even safer in his arms. "Wait here. I'll get the dessert," she said and kissed his cheek before she moved to get the chocolate mousse she'd prepared for them.

He chuckled and watched as she busied herself. He didn't want her to work too hard on his behalf, but she seemed to enjoy the distraction, to give herself a purpose. He could be alright with that. He just didn't want her to think that she had to work to get his attention. "So, you'll tell me if I do something you don't like, right? I'm not into the whole, silent partner, in bed or otherwise."

Chichi paused her work, her back still to him as he voiced his question. She'd learned the hard way that men didn't like to be corrected, didn't like to be told when they did something wrong. It was far easier to just let them do as they pleased and then deal with it afterwards without making a fuss. "No," she answered truthfully, shaking her head as she sucked a bit of the mousse off of her finger before she picked it up and turned to offer it to him. "I'm not going to do that. That's not my place," she said as she sat down next to him and pulled the blanket over her lap again.

He blinked at her as he took a bowl of mousse from her, but he put it aside, turning to her fully. "No?" He was confused. "What do you mean, no? Chichi, if whatever I do hurts you or is something you don't like, why wouldn't you tell me no?" He knew the answer the moment he spoke his question out loud. "Oh. Oh no, Chichi. I'm not like that. I don't want you to suffer in silence. If something doesn't feel right, you let me know immediately. How can you feel good too if you aren't happy?"

Chichi took a tiny bite of the mousse before she set her bowl in her lap, considering his words carefully as she stared at the floor. She finally gave a little shrug. "I don't know what it's like to be happy," she finally said, her answer as honest as it could be. She turned to him, blinking her dark eyes at him. "I'm just so used to it, I don't know the difference. Even if I wanted to, I don't know if I could tell you no. I…" She trailed off, shaking her head as she looked away from him. What had happened to her?! "I used to be really strong-willed. Very outspoken. I had spirit when I was younger, but that never got me anywhere except a broken marriage. I was too demanding. That didn't last with Maxwell. He, well, beat it out of me pretty quick. It's like I'm either one extreme or the other, and either way I'm not happy."

He listened to her, thinking he could understand what she was talking about. Though, he had a hard time imagining her as this bossy, demanding person. Now here she was, a polar opposite of her former self. "Well, you know they say that third time's the charm. You need to find yourself a happy medium. Unafraid to ask for what you want, but willing to listen to your partner in turn. And not just with the bedroom stuff," he said truthfully as he leaned down to nuzzle at her neck, nibbling carefully at the soft skin there. "I'd like to show you some time," he said softly.

Chichi shivered and giggled as he teased her neck, finally wiggling a little away from him. "You're naughty," she scolded even as a smile played across her lips. She swallowed and considered the dessert in her hands for a moment. "Maybe we'll get to that point," she said, trying to hide the fact that she wanted nothing more than for him to do exactly that. "I'm still a little… unsure of everything. Please, I'm not saying no to you. I just need time to let my brain catch up to my feelings. If that makes any sense at all. I don't want to screw up again. I need to make up for all the mistakes I've made in the past. I can't afford to mess up anything else at this point in my life."

He couldn't stop the grin on his face and he teased her, "Oh I think you just told me no." He laughed and picked up his mousse again, moaning at the silky, cold texture of the treat. He was going to have to have her make it all the time now. His cooks couldn't make it this good. "You just said no," he said happily again, "Good. That's good."

Chichi scowled at him. "I just told you I wasn't saying no." She huffed, feeling flustered, and poked the end of his nose with her spoon, snickering at the tiny dollop it left behind. "Serves you right," she said haughtily before she took another bite of her dessert. She couldn't stop herself from giggling. She never could have done that to Maxwell, but she felt comfortable enough around Hercule to joke with him like that and it felt amazing. She shivered as a cold breeze blew and she snuggled closer to him under the blanket. "It's getting cold out here," she commented.

Hercule chuckled, reaching up to swipe the chocolate from his nose and he licked his finger clean. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Maybe we should get you inside and warm you up. I try not to freeze my dates on the first night," he teased as he stood up, taking the blanket they had been sitting on and wrapped it around her before he led her inside. "Don't worry about dinner. I'm sure they'll come clean it up eventually."

"Are you sure? I don't mind cleaning it up," she said, looking back over her shoulder, feeling an almost panicked feeling well up inside her. She'd never left a mess like that before. She chewed her lip, still letting him guide her into the house, but she could barely tear her eyes away from the mess they were leaving behind. "Hercule, I don't know if I should leave that. We made that mess. I should clean it up. I don't want your staff to think that I'm a messy person or that I'm lazy. Shouldn't I just…" She trailed off at the look he gave her. "Right. That's what they're there for. I'm not used to this."

Hercule smiled, looking sheepish. "Well, you know, they probably don't like me that much. I leave more messes than I'd care to admit. The staff would love you if you did their jobs for them," he snickered as he led her to the bed. He went to the fireplace and started a little flame with a match. He stoked the fire carefully and watched it grow before he went back over to sit next to her on the bed. "I know what you mean. How weird it is to be waited on? I was so used to taking care of things in the he house where I grew up with a deadbeat father and a mother who was too afraid to move out of the shadows."

"I'm sorry you had to grow up in a house like that," she said and placed her hand on his, rubbing at his knuckles with her thumb. She frowned, thinking about the life Goten had lived before he was taken away from her. She was no better than Hercule's father. She swallowed and tried to push her youngest son out of her mind. He wasn't even her son anymore and he hadn't been for a very long time. "It was sort of the opposite in my house when I was growing up. My mother did everything. She waited on my father hand and foot. But she sort of told him how to live his life at the same time. She wasn't a very tolerant person. Nothing was ever good enough for her, no matter how hard father and I tried." She paused and looked at him again. "Did your mother ever try to leave? Or did she ever stand up to him?"

Hercule shook his head. "No, she was happy with him. Said she loved him and that she wanted to give me a proper family," he sighed. "Even I knew it was wrong. A proper family can't be one sided like that." He smiled at Chichi. "Like I said before, she would be beaten and then turn around and put on a happy face. Tolerant of her relationship. But I could see the pain in her eyes. That's why I'm glad to help others. To stop that look from spreading. Thanks for letting me help you."

She was surprised to hear him thank her. She hadn't been expecting that. "I'm the one who needs to thank you. I'd still be locked in that room if you hadn't come to check on me. Or worse. I might be dead at this point. Who knows what he would've done? I wouldn't put it past him." She sighed and shook her head. "Sorry. I don't want to talk about him anymore. I don't want to think about him anymore. I want him gone, just completely erased from my memory, you know? I'm so tired."

Hercule smiled and stood up, leaning over to give her a firm kiss. "Thank you for dinner, Little Lady," he said softly, pulling back from her carefully. "Get some rest. You've earned it after all that hard work. He didn't want to leave her, but he realized that he had to. To show her that it wasn't just about sex even though he wanted more.

Chichi was a little sad to see him go, but she knew it was probably better that way. "Thank you for having dinner with me," she said and got to her feet, reaching for his hand. "I, ah, really enjoyed our dessert," she said, feeling a little awkward but wanting him to know that he hadn't pushed her too far, that she had truly enjoyed the evening. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, Hercule. Maybe I'll see you in the morning?"

He smiled at her, hugging her close against him. "I sure hope so. We can have breakfast together," he said with a chuckle. "Dessert was amazing. If only every dessert could be so good," he said wistfully, before he kissed her cheek and opened the door. "Sleep well, Chichi."

She smiled to herself as she watched him go. What an amazing evening spent with that man. She couldn't believe it. After spending so many years thinking he was a complete and utter moron, to now know what a kind and generous man he truly was. She had a hard time understanding how all of this had happened, and so quickly at that, but she was happy that it did. She got ready for bed, anxious to fall asleep so that she could get to breakfast with him all that much sooner.


	7. No Safe Place

Chichi toyed nervously with the phone in her bedroom. She'd just gotten cleaned up after another training session with Hercule and she was starving. She'd promised to call Bulma and let her know how she was doing and where she was after she'd filed the restraining order, but then things had gotten so out of hand, she'd completely forgot to call. She wondered if it was too late now, if Bulma was worried, or if she even cared at all. Well, there was only one way to find out. She drew a breath and quickly dialed Capsule Corp, praying it was Bulma that answered.

Bulma was leaning over a computer screen when the phone in her office started ringing and she looked over at the call id, frowning when she saw that it was registered as coming from Mr. Satan. She cursed under her breath, still wondering what had possessed Catie and Trunks to program his number in the phone, but she supposed after what they had been through with the aliens, it was expected. She picked up the phone, pressing it to her ear as she looked back at her computer screen, responding dully, "Capsule Corp, how can I help you? Trunks and Catie are out at the moment."

"Trunks and Catie?" Chichi asked, bewildered. "Bulma, it's Chichi. I was calling to talk to you." What Catie and Trunks had to do with it, she had no idea. "I, ah, never had a chance to call you. I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay. Things have been sort of hectic, a lot's been going on. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to do lunch today? You know, if you're not busy." She chewed her lip, anxious about how Bulma would respond. She hoped the other woman was still willing to give her a chance.

Bulma blinked, her mind trying to put it all quickly together. "Chichi?" she asked with a surprised tone, "What on earth are you doing at Mr. Satan's house?" She rubbed at her hair. Hadn't Chichi been planning on getting out of town, getting her affairs in order and away from Maxwell so she could start fresh? "I thought you were him calling for Trunks and Catie. Lord knows why they want to hang out with him, but now you're there? What did you do? Get hired on as part of the staff?"

"No, nothing like that," she said. She was surprised to learn that Hercule was friends with Trunks and Catie. But she could worry about that later. "I'd like to tell you everything that's happened, if you have time. I don't really want to go into detail over the phone. But if you're busy, I understand. I don't want to bother you." She felt her heart sink; Bulma didn't sound in the mood to talk at all. Perhaps pursuing a friendship with her again was the wrong thing to do. She'd made too many mistakes in the past. There was no way for her to make up for them now. "Really, forget I called. I just wanted to let you know I'm okay. Sorry to bother you."

"Wait," Bulma said, cursing herself inwardly, "Sorry, I know that sounded rushed, just gods. Too much information at once, yeah?" She exhaled and looked at the clock. "I can take an early lunch. Would you like me to swing by and pick you up?" Chichi sounded different and on the phone she couldn't tell if it was a good different or a bad different. It would be an interesting story to hear at least. "I can leave here in about twenty."

Chichi smiled brightly at that, even though Bulma couldn't see her. "That sounds great. I'll meet you out front then. Thanks, Bulma, for giving me a chance." She got off the phone and dressed quickly, pulling her hair back in a low bun at the base of her skull before she fixed her makeup the way she'd learned that day at the mall with Madeline. They were subtle changes, but overall, she liked the new look. It made her feel not nearly as stuffy as she had been before. It was a good change.

She smiled at herself in the mirror, then decided to find Hercule to let him know where she was going. Her stomach was still fluttering from their dinner last night, the kisses they'd shared. She found him in the living room and gave him a smile. "Hi," she said as she walked over to him. "So I called a friend of mine, well, she used to be my friend. We're still sort of in an awkward stage. But she wanted me to let her know I was okay after I filed a restraining order and I haven't talked to her since you saved me. Anyway, I was going to go to lunch with her. If, I mean, if that's okay with you," she said timidly. She was used to asking Maxwell for permission before she did anything. She never knew what would set that man off. Even the slightest everyday thing for most people could send him into a rage.

Hercule looked up from the book he had pulled from the shelf to read, wanting some down time to let his mind rest and Ryan insisted that he shouldn't train too hard because of his jaw. He smiled at her. "Thanks for letting me know. I think I'd have a heart attack if dinner time came around and I couldn't find you," he said as he looked her over a moment before he stood up and walked her to the front door. "You want to take my cell phone with you in case you run into trouble and you need to call back here for anything?" he asked as he fished into his pocket and pulled out the slim device. "Speed dial one will get you Madeline."

Chichi blinked in surprise as she carefully took the phone in her hand. "Are you sure?" she asked. At his nod, she tucked it into her new purse. "I shouldn't be long. Bulma's always busy, she probably won't have a lot of time to visit." She looked up again, her heart skipping a beat as she met his warm blue eyes. "Thanks for letting me go. I swear I'll come straight back. It's only a couple blocks from here, that little Italian place on the corner."

Hercule chuckled and rubbed at her back. "Hey, relax," he said softly, "I just want you to have fun and be safe. You take as long as you need. Though, if I don't hear from you by say nine I am going to send out a search party." He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Oh, and mindful of the ringer on that. Ryan likes to steal that and put all sorts of odd things on there," he joked. It was good to see Chichi excited to go out, to try and reconnect with friends and family.

Chichi's eyes went wide and she dug the phone out of her purse again. After fiddling with it for a few moments, she was satisfied that it was on vibrate. "I wouldn't trust that girl as far as I could throw her," she muttered under her breath as she tucked the phone away again. "And I won't be out nearly that long. It's not even noon yet. I'll be back way before nine." She hesitated a moment before she quickly leaned over and kissed his cheek, catching the corner of his mouth. "Thank you," she whispered and hurried off to wait for Bulma.

* * *

Bulma checked her image in the mirror before she wandered the halls down to the gravity chamber. She could hear her mate training inside and she pressed her lips thin. It had been almost nonstop and only when she threatened him did he eat or sleep. She pressed the button on the side that would gradually turn off the gravity and unlock the door. Too many times had he hit the ceiling if the gravity had been immediately forced from three hundred to zero. She finally pushed the door open and went inside, her heart ached when she saw Vegeta standing with his back to her, drinking a bottle of water. "Hey, how are you doing today? Did you ever get to bed last night?"

Vegeta didn't answer her, knowing she would scold him if he told her the truth, that he'd been in this room for nearing twenty-four hours. He swallowed down the rest of the water and tossed the bottle aside before he turned to her. "I'm fine," he answered gruffly. He knew she was concerned, but it wore on him the way she constantly checked on him, nearly fussing over him. Yet part of him appreciated it as well. It reminded him that she cared, that she loved him. He was dealing with his situation the best way he knew how; to train himself into the ground until his body collapsed on him and he had no choice but to fall into a dreamless sleep, completely exhausted. He eyed the purse on her shoulder, the coat she had draped over her arm. "Going somewhere?"

Bulma walked to him, seeing the shadows that hovered under Vegeta's eyes and she lifted her hand to cup his cheek, brushing her thumb over the darkened skin. He was far from fine, but she wasn't sure what she could do for him in this situation. "Going out for lunch. I'll let you know how it goes after I get back. I'll decide if you'll want to know who it's with by then or not. Don't worry about it though. I shouldn't be too late. I'm going to chase you out of the gravity machine when I do get back though. I have something for you. Might help you sleep better."

He sighed and leaned into her touch, his expression softening for her. He should've known she would know the truth whether he told her or not. His stomach growled at her mention of lunch and he realized he hadn't eaten since the day before. He'd been able to ignore it while he trained, but now it hit him full force. "I suppose I should eat something as well," he said. He pulled her closer and kissed her briefly. "Go enjoy your lunch then. Probably some boring business thing I have no interest in anyway."

She smiled at him. "Something like that," she said, unable to bring herself to tell him. He didn't need any more stress, any more bad news to set him off. "There's plenty of food in the kitchen and you can always order out," she said before she gave him a wink. "Plenty of hot water in the shower too. I'm sure you've heard of a shower," she teased, remembering all those years ago when he had crashed in her front yard and she took him to the showers to wash up.

"You try my patience, woman," he growled, though his voice lacked the bite to make it convincing. He probably did need a shower after so many hours in the gravity room. He was sweaty all over; maybe a shower would relax him and help clear his mind. Anything to stop his mind from replaying what happened in that alien compound, the burns he kept seeing on Jenny's face, the experiments they did on Piccolo, the way they starved Gohan… And worst of all, what he himself had suffered on that lab table at the hands of that demented doctor. A violent shudder shook his shoulders and he blinked his eyes harshly, cursing under his breath. "Dammit." In trying not to think of those things, he'd somehow made them all flash in his mind again.

Bulma's brow furrowed with worry at her mates sudden shudder. She knew what it was that was bothering him. He had told her what he had been forced to suffer and she felt a flash of anger at the aliens who had done this to her proud husband, plaguing him even in their death. "Damn them," she breathed and hugged him tightly, not caring about how he tensed up.

Vegeta let her hug him, though his body went stiff. He was okay with being close to her, with her touching him, but anything that felt restrictive set him on edge. He was working on it. He would not let it rule him, would not let his memories dictate his life. It was just something he had to do and it would take time. He understood that, though he wished there was a way to speed up the process. Everything was just still so new, so fresh in his mind. After a moment, he carefully extracted himself from her embrace. "I'm fine," he repeated, not meeting her eyes, and this time his voice had its bite back. "Quit fussing over me, woman."

She nodded, just happy he lasted that long. She was missing their nights together. He wasn't a cuddling person by any means, but he could barely stand to be stuck under the covers at length with her. That was going to change, hopefully. She gave him a sad smile and turned, "Don't forget to eat," she reminded him, managing a smile at the annoyed sigh he gave her before she left.

The drive to Hercule's was odd as it left her with her thoughts. What an odd day. It was weird enough trying to help Vegeta in any way she could, but joining Chichi for lunch? Just bizarre. She thought for sure that Chichi wouldn't have gone through with the restraining order, but she was wrong. And to find her standing outside of Hercule's mansion was even stranger. She must have been hired on.

Chichi perked up when Bulma's car slowed to a stop next to the sidewalk. She quickly got in and gave her a little smile as she set her purse on the floor. "Hi," she said. "Thanks for agreeing to meet me. I was sort of starting to wonder if you were going to show. I wouldn't blame you if you'd changed your mind."

Bulma was stunned to see the woman get in with her. She looked much improved than the broken woman she had met in the restaurant. Her clothes were strange and her hair was in a bun at the base of her neck. Her face was devoid of all bruises. She blinked at Chichi and looked past her out the car door before she looked back at the woman. "Excuse me, I think you have the wrong car. I was waiting for someone who has bruises, a high collared kimono, nose up in the air..." She trailed off at the look she got. "Bit of a transformation you've gone through," she said as she pulled out onto the road, "Sorry I was late. Had to tell Vegeta I was going out for a while."

"You really noticed?" Chichi asked, looking down at herself. It had only been about a week, but she supposed the changes were that drastic. Now if only she could get everyone to see that she was trying to change the inside and not just her outward appearance. A small smile pulled at her lips. "I'm trying," she said softly, looking down at her hands in her lap. "I don't want to be the person I used to be anymore, Bulma. I really don't. I know it's going to take more than a new hairstyle and a change of clothes to prove that. But for what it's worth, I am trying."

Bulma drove for a moment in silence. "I suppose you are. To be honest, I was surprised to see the caller ID coming from Hercule's house. How did you manage to get a job there so quickly? I hear they have to go through quite the screening process to even be hired on to take out the trash. The trash! Gods, I don't understand it all," she said as she glanced over at Chichi. "And yeah, it's going to take more, but at least you are trying. That accounts for something. It's still not going to change everything that's happened. You take a nail out of a fence, the hole is still going to be there marring it. Have you made any efforts to contact Goku or Goten? Gohan?"

"No," Chichi answered quickly. "No, I'm not ready for that yet. I've thought about it, but there's still too much I have to work on first. I want to be able to prove to them that I've changed. I think it's still too early for that." She looked out the window as they pulled to a stop in front of the restaurant. She sighed and looked at Bulma again. "Let's go inside and I'll explain what's been going on," she suggested and picked up her purse as she opened the door, getting out before Bulma could protest. She wasn't sure how Bulma would react to all of this, but sitting in a car didn't seem the right place to say it.

Bulma nodded, getting out and locking her car before she followed Chichi inside and waited until they were escorted to a table in the back. "You seem a bit paranoid. Looking over your shoulder, expecting Maxwell to pop out of the shadows?" she observed. She couldn't say she blamed the woman, she'd be looking behind herself too if a man had left marks on her like that.

"I think I have every right to be paranoid," Chichi answered as she set her purse in the chair next to her, making sure the back of her chair was to the wall so she could see the restaurant. "You don't know what living with that man was like. And he's still after me. I went to the police station like you said, to fill out a restraining order. He'd already beat me to it. He was waiting in a back room and they just handed me over to him. They didn't even try to stop him from slapping me around. Inside the police station!"

The irony wasn't lost on Bulma. Clearly the curse was still working against her. She held her tongue, wanting to ask her how it felt, if she knew that's what Goten went through when he was younger, to be given to someone who was supposed to be safe only to have them turn around and betray them the next second. "I suppose the city's finest are a bit tarnished. How much did he pay them I wonder for that opportunity?" She sighed, rubbing her face, "How did you get away?"

"Mr. Satan saved me," Chichi answered quietly. "He saw me and Maxwell on the street, the way Maxwell tried to drag me to his car by my hair. He stepped in, said he was taking me to lunch. And, well, I've pretty much been staying with him since. Maxwell's furious of course. I swear, of all people to help me, I never in a million years would've thought it would be him." She reached for her glass, taking a sip of water before she continued. "And he's not nearly the person you'd think he was. Nothing like what you see on TV. He's… actually nice."

Bulma stared at her a moment before she took a sip of her drink as well. "You know, I would call you a liar, but Trunks, Catie, and Tora said the exact same thing about him. I am still not sure I believe you. He could have brainwashed you all or gave you funny food." She paused as her mind caught up with the rest of it, "Wait, what do you mean you are staying with him? Like, with him? Working for him? For free?"

Chichi didn't know who Tora was, but she didn't want to get off track. She gave a little laugh at that. "No, I don't think he cooks. He has a huge kitchen and staff to do that for him," she said, although a blush touched her cheeks at the memory of their dinner the night before. And their rather delicious dessert. Just the thought made her want to squirm in her seat again. "He offered to take me to a shelter, one of the women's shelters he helped build. But he thinks that even his security there wouldn't be enough to keep Maxwell out. So he's letting me stay at his house. You know, as a friend."

Bulma raised an eyebrow at her. "Fast friend," she said surprised. "That's generous of him."

Chichi nodded her agreement. "Incredibly generous. I feel guilty accepting so much help from him. I just hope I can repay him somehow one of these days." She ducked her head a bit, realizing what Bulma was probably thinking. She looked up again, meeting the other woman's eyes with an intense look. "I'm not after him or his money if that's what you're thinking. I took his help because he was the only one who offered it and I didn't have any other choice. It was either that or go back and let Maxwell kill me. And he would do it. I wouldn't be the first he's murdered. So you can judge me if you want, but it's not like that."

Bulma knew she wasn't being fair. Perhaps her once friend had indeed paid for her crimes with her death. Now that she was actually trying to better herself, maybe it was time to help her along. Or at least maybe start giving her the benefit of the doubt. "I suppose he'd be prepared for women who are after his money even if you were," she sighed and titled her head. "Sorry. I'm still half expecting you to lash out. It's different being around you and not feeling hatred. But I'm glad that you are trying. You used to be a good person; I'd like to see that person again."

Chichi shook her head. "No, I don't want to go backwards. Even before I was so, you know, mean? I still was judgmental. I was too set in my ways even then. I want to move forward, to work towards something completely new. I want to put the past behind me." She gave Bulma a pleading look. "All I want is a chance to show everyone that I'm sorry, that I feel horrible for what I did, for who I was. I don't expect forgiveness, Bulma. Really, I don't. I won't even ask for it. But I want just one person to be able to see that the woman I was is not who I am now."

For a moment, Bulma could understand what it was that Chichi was trying to accomplish. "So, you are saying that the old Chichi, the judgmental, child hurting, bitch, died when the aliens slit her throat?" she asked, feeling good to get it off of her chest.

Chichi cringed, her heart heavy as Bulma listed off only a fraction of the things she was trying to redeem herself for. She nodded. "I suppose so," she answered in a small voice. "I realized what I did, the pain I caused so many people. Believe me, I don't want to be that person anymore." She quickly wiped at her eyes, refusing to let the tears fall. Oh, how she despised herself. She sniffed, schooling her expression, and looked up again. "Maybe this was a bad idea. You're right; I was all those things. I can't expect to be given a second chance after that. What I did was horrible. Unforgivable. I deserve to pay for it for the rest of my life." She was angry with herself now as she grabbed her purse, preparing to leave. She knew better. Arthusia's curse would never end. And anyone close to her would just end up getting hurt by it anyway.

Bulma reached out and grasped Chichi's wrist before she could leave. "Stop," she said as she thought everything over. She knew she would be lying to herself if she said that Vegeta hadn't thought he deserved a second chance for all the wrongs he had done in his life, for everything suffered through. "You are changing into a new person. I can give you a second chance. It's just hard you know? The hate, the image I have, it's hard to bury it away, to let it go. Though, you are trying, it wouldn't be fair if I didn't either." She let go of her wrist and leaned back as the considered the other woman. "Come on, let's hear some gossip then, tell me about the Champ."

Chichi looked at Bulma uncertainly for a moment before she set her purse back down in the chair and settled back into her own again. Gossip? She didn't know any gossip about him really and even if she did, she wasn't sure she wanted to share. She almost felt as if Bulma was testing her. "He's really nice," she said, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Like I said, he's completely different than on TV. He's not nearly as boisterous. I mean, he's still a little loud, but I think that's just his voice, you know?" she said with a slight laugh. "Really, though, he's incredibly generous. Protective. Wants to make sure the people around him are taken care of. It's actually pleasant to be around him."

Bulma raised an eyebrow at her. "I hope you're right about that. I have this haunting suspicion that Catie wants to invite him to the Christmas party. I'm fairly sure he is the reason why she has a pet kitten now. I swear that thing is worse than Mom's pug. It just won't stay out of trouble." She sighed and tilted her head at the way Chichi talked about him. Though if someone had just saved her from a horrible fate, she supposed she would be feeling grateful to them as well. "Does he know everything?" she asked cautiously.

Chichi quickly shook her head. "I don't know how to tell him," she stammered. "We've only known each other about a week. I sort of wanted him to know the person I am now before I tell him about who I was. He's the first person to be kind to me in a long time. I don't want to lose his friendship. I suppose that's cowardly," she said as she fiddled with her napkin, "but I'm not ready to tell him. Not yet. I plan on it. Eventually."

Bulma nodded. "You want some friendly advice?" she asked before she went on, looking up into Chichi's worried gaze. "Just be the one to tell him. If someone else let's that information slip, I can't imagine just how generous he will be if he doesn't hear the truth coming from you."

Chichi paled at that. "You're right," she said. "You said Catie and Trunks know him? Could you keep this to yourself? Not mention to them that I'm staying with him. Catie's no fan of mine, well, no one is. I know that. But she might say something to him. And I," she paused, taking a shaky breath, trying to steady her voice, "I really don't want to lose this friendship with him, Bulma. I know it's a big favor, but please? Please don't tell them. I'll tell him myself. I will. I just need some time."

Bulma nodded. "I won't," she promised, "But they weren't the ones I was thinking you would have to worry about. Didn't you say Maxwell is still after you? Doesn't he know an inkling of what has happened?" she asked and sighed, "I don't mean to make you scared, I just want you to be aware."

Chichi shook her head. "Maxwell never really knew all the details. And I, well, I painted myself to be the victim. To be honest, he never really cared about what happened between me and Goku. Or anything concerning Goten. I'm sure he'll be looking now, trying to find a way to use it against me. But back then, he took no interest in it and I didn't push the matter."

Bulma nodded and relaxed back in her seat, letting out the breath she didn't know she had been holding. "Okay, I suppose I can stop drilling you now. Unless there is anything else you want to share," she said.

Chichi felt better. They enjoyed their lunch, not talking a whole lot. There wasn't much to talk about, to be honest. Anything Chichi could've said about the last few years would've sounded like she was complaining and she didn't want to focus on that anyway. It wasn't long before Bulma said she needed to get back to work and they soon found themselves outside on the street again.

"Thanks for meeting with me for lunch. It was nice to see you again, Bulma," Chichi said. "Really. Maybe we could do this again sometime." She hoped she didn't sound too pushy or eager; she didn't want to put Bulma on the spot.

Bulma studied her for a moment before she nodded. "We should. You can let me know how your progress is and things like that. I'd like to help you get back on the right track now that I'm sure you are serious about changing. If you need help getting in contact with the people who need to hear your apology the most, just let me know. I'll see what I can do."

Chichi smiled and nodded. "I'll let you know when I'm ready," she said as she for the handle on Bulma's car. She paused and turned as the screeching of tires drew her attention. "What in the?" She gasped as the car slid up on the sidewalk, nearly hitting her and Bulma. An icy terror lanced through her as a big man got out of the backseat and marched straight for her.

"Get in the damn car," the stranger snarled, shoving Bulma aside as he reached out, grabbing Chichi by the arm. "You've been running around long enough. It's time for you to go home, bitch."

Chichi cried out as he squeezed her arm. "No! I'm not going back there!" she cried, struggling to pull her arm away. No, she'd rather die than to go back to Maxwell and his abuse. She swung her free arm and slapped him across the face as hard as she could, splitting his lip. "Let go of me!"

Bulma's eyes widened as the strange man only growled in anger at Chichi as she slapped him. Her friend had a mean swing, she had to give her that. Bulma then realized that this was the sort of man Maxwell was, sending in others to do his dirty work for him. He thought he was untouchable and that he owned the whole city. "My ass she's getting in that damn car!" she shouted, seeing others around them running. She ran up to the man who had a hold of Chichi and aimed a kick for his crotch. "Let her go, you asshole!"

The man grunted in pain and fell to his knees, letting go of Chichi's arm. "Stupid bitch," he snarled as he held himself, doubling over in pain.

"Bulma, come on!" Chichi cried and grabbed the other woman's wrist, pulling her towards the car. She scrambled for the handle and threw herself inside as Bulma turned the key and swung the car out into traffic. Chichi glanced over her shoulder at the man on the sidewalk, but he quickly disappeared from view and she let her head fall back against the seat. "Jesus," she breathed. Her arm ached, but it could've been much worse. "Sorry about that, Bulma. I should've known better than to go out in public."

Bulma looked over at Chichi wide-eyed as she drove through the streets as fast as she could without getting pulled over. She knew that would end badly, especially if all the cops were on Maxwell's payroll. "This sort of thing happens often? Geez. A prisoner no matter where you go. Gramma's curse really did a number on you, didn't it? Gods, I wonder what would have happened to us if we interfered. She said that would be bad stuff."

"I don't know," Chichi answered honestly, still feeling breathless and frazzled. "We can't do this again, Bulma. I can't be around you or anyone. This curse, it'll affect everyone around me. The only chance I have is to stay with Hercule. Somehow it doesn't seem to affect him or his house. It's the only safe place left." She looked over at the other woman, a frown on her face. "You could've been hurt. Bulma, I'm so sorry. I didn't even think. I don't want to risk any of you getting hurt because of me. I've hurt all of you enough as it is."

Bulma was going to have to make sure the world wasn't ending or that hell hadn't frozen over later. She gave Chichi a look. "This curse doesn't affect anyone but you, Chichi. Only if we try to interfere with anything." She paled as she thought about it. "Then again, I just screwed myself over," she said with a little smirk. "So, I don't know. Maybe the curse is over since you died and now you are just left with the shitty aftermath?" Bulma tried to reason. "And if it isn't, then it's like a poison and sooner or later it's going to seep into whatever's around it. Whoever is around it."

"Either way, I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me," she said in a shaky voice, chewing on her nails as she looked out the window. She swallowed harshly, her stomach coiling into a painful knot. She really didn't want to do this if she didn't have to, but it seemed like the only way to maybe get some insight on the situation how she could change it. "I don't suppose Arthusia's still around? Maybe I could talk to her, see what I need to do to prove that I learned my lesson."

Bulma ducked her head, pressing her lips thin a moment before she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Chichi," she said, and she meant it. "Arthusia passed away less than a year ago. Goku took everyone over there for the funeral." She blinked her eyes as unbidden tears sprang to her eyes at the memory of it. Vegeta hadn't said much, but he did walk up to Gramma's casket and quietly placed a quarter under her hands. She shook her head at the meaning of it and blinked away more tears. "She can't remove the curse for you. You just need to find your own way through it. I hope that whatever path you are on now, I hope that it gets you out of the woods."

Chichi bit her lips together and bowed her head. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said honestly. "I know she meant a great deal to all of you." She'd never liked Arthusia, she wouldn't deny that. But now she wished she'd been on better terms with her. Perhaps she could've learned her lesson in a better way and not had to suffer for so many years. "I wasn't going to ask her to remove it. I was just going to ask her what I had to do to end it. If there even was anything I could do at all." She sighed as they pulled up in front of Hercule's home. She looked at Bulma again, forcing a small smile. "Thanks for lunch. I'll keep in contact, you know, from a distance. I don't want you to inadvertently get hurt by being around me. I'll see you later."

"Chichi, wait," Bulma said, looking through the window at the woman as she thought over what the curse entailed. "Think of why she cursed you in the first place. What it's done to you. It put you in someone else's shoes. Maybe you get out like they did. Or some variation. You should know, Paige and Scarlett are pretty comfortable with that spell book that Gramma passed down. If you ever do apologize, maybe that's something to inquire about."

Chichi nodded. "I'll keep that in mind," she said as she opened the car door. "Thanks again, Bulma." She shut the door and hurried up to the house, relieved to find it unlocked. She slipped inside and shut it behind her, locking the door quickly. A sigh escaped her lips and she gingerly touched her arm, wincing at the touch. And here she'd nearly healed from the marks Maxwell had left on her. She let her head thunk against the door. "This is never going to end. I'll never be safe," she muttered miserably to herself.

Hercule had been lounging in one of the living rooms near a roaring fireplace. The television was going in the background while he kept reading his book. He heard the front door shut as well as the soft mumbling that he couldn't make out. He looked towards the door as Chichi came into the room and he gave her a smile, about to ask her how her lunch went, but stopped at the sight of her face. "Are you alright? What happened?" he asked, alarmed.

Chichi sighed and sat down on the other end of the couch. "One of Maxwell's goons tried to kidnap me," she muttered, her voice sounding flat as if she'd gone numb. That's pretty much how she felt. Just tired and numb inside. She leaned her elbows on her knees and rested her forehead against the heels of her hands. "Maniac drove up on the sidewalk, shoved Bulma down, and grabbed me. We got away, obviously. I just don't know," she sighed and dropped her hands as she sat back against the couch. "I wish he would just stop. Now he almost hurt Bulma in the process of trying to get to me. I don't want anyone else to end up in harm's way."

Hercule's heart thudded in his chest at her admission, his stomach felt as if it were coated with lead. "What?!" he practically shouted as he jumped to his feet and started pacing. He ran his hands through his hair as he thought about what other lengths that Maxwell would go through to get her back. "I'll see what we can do around here to increase security. Maybe hire on some new guards or something. Twenty four hour surveillance. Shit, I just want to wring his neck!"

"I don't think he'll try anything here. He's scared of you. Otherwise he would never have let me go to lunch with you that first day," she said as she watched him pace. She couldn't remember seeing him this angry before. Sure, on TV he was loud and intimidating, but that was all an act. This was real anger. And it made her nervous. She shrank back into the couch, drawing her feet up under her to try to make herself as small as possible as she watched him with a wary eye. She didn't like seeing him like this. She wanted to tell him to calm down, but she knew better. If a man was in a rage, it was best to stay out of his way.

"He'd better be afraid," Hercule ground out before he forced himself to take a deep breath, trying to think of some zen meditation crap. He looked back to Chichi to see if she was alright and his eyes widened when he saw how she was shrunk back against the couch. "Ah shit. I'm sorry, Little Lady. Let my anger get the better of me there. It's just not fair the way he is treating you."

"You're okay," she said, not moving from her position. "Just staying out of your way." She tried to manage a little smile for him; it did feel good to know that he cared enough to be upset that Maxwell wouldn't leave her alone. She relaxed just a fraction. "As long as it's not me you're upset with, it's okay," she said with a nervous little laugh before she met his eyes. "It means a lot to me that you care."

Hercule smiled warmly at her. "Nah, not upset with you. If I was, I'd be asking that we sit down and talk it out," he said before he moved over to the fireplace, putting his hand on the mantle as he stared into the dancing flames. After a moment, he added another log and looked back over at Chichi. "You sure you're okay? Need to get anything off your chest? Chocolate? Whatever it is you women do to relax after something like that?"

Chichi gave a little laugh. "Chocolate never hurts," she answered. Deciding he seemed calmer, she carefully got to her feet and walked over to him to place her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, Hercule. It's just sort of a knee-jerk reaction for me. I know you'd never hurt me," she said quietly. She swallowed harshly as she met his eyes. "I'm just worried about you getting hurt if I stay here much longer."

He looked down at her, giving her a faint smile. "I seriously doubt this guy hits harder than Cell." He rubbed at his jaw, remembering the hit as if it were yesterday. "Okay, I really was full of myself then. I actually thought it was some crazy stunt someone dreamed up…" He trailed off at the look she gave him and he shook his head. "Nevermind," he said and waved his hand. "I'm not worried about this guy, he can try but he isn't going to get very far. And if he does, it's his funeral."

"It's not just Maxwell I'm concerned about. It's…" she hesitated for a moment, her frustration building inside her. "It's this damn curse!" she cried and turned away from him, her shoulders sagging. "I'm cursed, Hercule. And I'm worried that anyone who gets too close to me is going to get hurt because of it. You shouldn't have to suffer because of it." She rubbed at her face which felt incredibly hot. "I know it probably sounds crazy, but it's true. Maybe it's better if I just go. I can't stand the thought of you getting caught up in this somehow."

Hercule reached out and gently caught her elbow before she could get too far away from him. He had a teasing quip on the tip of his tongue, but it died away when he saw the look in her eye, the look of utter seriousness. "Who cursed you?"

"An old witch named Arthusia," she answered. "I didn't believe her at first. I thought it was just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. Took me years to realize that she really had that kind of power. And by then it was too late. And now there's nothing I can do to reverse it. Bulma told me today that Arthusia passed away. I thought that by changing myself, being a better person, maybe it would end the curse. But so far, it's not working."

He tilted his head at her, lifting her chin and looked her over for a moment before he smiled into her eyes. "You know, I heard somewhere that curses only have power if you believe in them," he said, feeling a bit corny, but this appeared to be important to her and he wasn't about to laugh in her face for it. "Maybe the next step is working past it. Seems you've hit rock bottom. The only way to go now is up."

Chichi slowly shook her head at his stubbornness. "Didn't you hear me? I didn't believe it either. Until I realized it was working. I think this one has power whether I want to believe in it or not." A pout crossed her lips as she leaned her chin into his strong hand. "You're really willing to risk it just to help me?" she asked, feeling both guilty and happy at the same time.

Hercule smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I am," he said as he brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear before he cupped her cheek a moment. "Sounds like you've been going it alone with this curse for a while. Maybe all you need is someone who supports you. Who sees you as you are. Or something sappy like that. Maybe it'll work out. I mean, I got to meet you because of where you were. I know it's a terrible thing to say, but I can't be sad for that."

A genuine smile pulled at her lips then and she turned her face slightly to kiss the palm of his hand. "I can't be sad for it either," she said softly. Maybe Arthusia's curse had been harsh, and Chichi had already suffered greatly for it, but there was one thing she couldn't deny. It had led her to the most amazing man she'd ever met in her life. And in a strange, messed up way, she was grateful to Arthusia for it.

Hercule only smiled wider and moved to wrap an arm around her shoulders as he led her out of the room and towards the kitchens. "Come on, you look like you could use something chocolate. Paul makes a molten cake that'll make your knees weak."


	8. Chasing the Nightmares Away

Everything around her seemed strange, like the world was cast into a misty grey-tone. Chichi choked on a scream when she realized where she was; trapped in the guest room of Maxwell's house again. Her breath misted on the frigid air as she scrambled backwards, clutching at the blankets to cover herself, and cracked her head against the wooden headboard. Panting harshly, she looked around, frantically searching for Hercule. But there was no sign of him. She called out for him, her voice a panicked, pathetic sound. Only silence met her ears.

A creak from the door made her whip her head around so fast, her neck cricked. Her heart stopped and shattered into a million little pieces as she saw Maxwell standing there, a look of smug triumph on his face.

"No," Chichi gasped, feeling the tears burn at the corners of her eyes. How had she ended up back here? She'd gone to bed in her room at Hercule's mansion, safe and sound. This didn't make sense. She was frozen in place as Maxwell stalked forward, leering over her, telling her how stupid and worthless she was, how she could never do anything right. He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out of bed, hissing the most disgusting things she'd ever heard.

Her scalp burned as she clawed at his hands, trying to free herself, her feet scrambling for purchase beneath her as he dragged her across the hardwood floor. Oh how she hated that. And he knew it, too. That's why he did it. He'd grab her hair and force her to give him head, or he'd pull it roughly in the middle of sex just to upset her. Which was exactly what he did now.

She tried to fight back, to scream for help, but her limbs moved as if they were in slow-motion and the scream caught in her throat, leaving her unable to make a sound. She felt desperate to escape, to run as far away from Maxwell as she possibly could. But nothing she did could stop him. Even when she bit him, tried to hit or kick him, he just laughed at her as he stood over her, using her as he saw fit.

Where was Hercule? Where was her knight in shining armor that had rescued her before? Surely he wouldn't leave her to such a fate. Not after how caring and concerned he'd been over her.

She saw him then, broken and bleeding in the corner of the room. His warm blue eyes had gone cold, blank. He stared at her, unseeing, and in that moment she knew the truth. Maxwell had murdered him.

She suddenly sat upright in bed, her own scream waking her from her nightmare. She clapped her hands to her mouth, listening fearfully for the sound of anyone moving around the house. She hoped she hadn't woken anyone. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she shook like a leaf. She looked out the big windows that led to the balcony, but the curtains had been drawn shut. That shook her. She knew they were open when she'd gone to bed. Someone had come through the room while she was asleep and she didn't even know it. She suddenly didn't want to be alone.

She got up and grabbed the fluffy bathrobe to pull it on over the slinky silk nightgown Madeline had set out for her. She shivered as the cold air wrapped around her and she went to the windows, peeking through the curtains to watch the icy rain slide down the panes of glass. Winter would be there soon. It somehow made her feel even more lonely.

She thought about going to Madeline's room, but she didn't want to wake her. Madeline got up early every morning and she worked hard all day long. But Chichi remembered Madeline saying that Hercule didn't mind being woken up if someone needed him. And she knew where his room was.

Making up her mind, she crept down the darkened hallways and up to his room, knocking softly on the door before she opened it a crack. "Hercule?" she asked softly, peering into the room.

Hercule was having the most wonderful dream, pleasantly lounging with a warm body at his side eating chocolate mousse. He started awake when he realized it wasn't reality and he heard his name being called out in the darkness. He sat up with a jerk. "Come in," he said, his voice thick with sleep. He suddenly wished he had worn more to bed as the cold air of the room wrapped around his bare chest. He often only wore boxers to bed, but with winter on the way, that would probably change soon. "Chichi?" he asked as he recognized the small form standing in the doorway.

Her breath caught when she saw him sit up in the bed, shirtless and looking sleepy. Good gods, it had been a long time since she'd seen a man with muscles like that. But more importantly, she just felt relieved to see him alive after such a horrifying dream.

"I'm sorry," she said as she stepped into the room, still quite shaken from the horrible dreams. "I had a nightmare and I couldn't go back to sleep. Madeline said that you don't mind if people need you in the middle of the night. Could… that is, do you think it would be okay if I stayed in here with you for just a little while? I'm afraid if I try to go back to sleep, I'll have another bad dream."

Hercule blinked himself awake a bit more and nodded. "Yeah, of course," he said as he rubbed at his eyes. "Do you want some coffee or tea or something?" he asked, reaching over to his bedside table and switching on the lamp. He winced at the light, but peered over at her, patting the side of his bed. "Come here, Little Lady. Talk to me."

She hurried to his side a little quicker than she probably should have and crawled into the bed next to him. The dream was so vivid, so real in her mind that she just couldn't shake it. "It was Maxwell," she said as she scooted next to him, wanting to curl up against his side. "It was just really real, you know? He grabbed me by the hair and dragged me to the bedroom and made me…" She trailed off and wiped an angry tear from her cheek. She sniffled and looked down at her lap, "I'm sorry. It just freaked me out."

Hercule nearly cursed under his breath. Even here that jerk was giving her nightmares. He stretched a little before he scooted down in bed, gently tugging Chichi to his side and he drew the covers up over both of them, but he left the light on. "Nightmares can't come when you have the light on," he said sleepily. "I'm sorry he is still plaguing your thoughts," he said as he reached up, smoothing her hair down, threading his fingers through the wonderfully cool, silky strands.

Chichi tensed for a moment when he touched her hair, but she relaxed the next second as he gently sifted his fingers through her hair. It felt amazing, so much different than the way Maxwell touched her hair. Hercule didn't pull, didn't yank, didn't use it to control her. Instead, he used it as a way to soothe her and a small smile pulled at her lips. She sighed deeply and snuggled against his side. He was so warm. She moved to rest her cheek on his chest, letting him play with her hair as her eyes grew heavy. "You're going to put me to sleep," she warned, her voice sleepy as if she could drift off at any moment.

He chuckled deeply. "Isn't that the idea?" he mumbled against her, leaning down and kissing her forehead. "You try and rest now. I won't let him get you." He was going to have to figure out some way to make her feel safer in the house. He knew it was big, but he knew his staff, he trusted his staff. Maxwell would never set foot inside. He wanted to protect her, to keep her safe from that jerk or anyone else who dared to frighten her or hurt her like this. "Can you think of anything I can do to make those nightmares stay away?" he asked softly, resting his face against her hair. He loved the feel of her small frame against his side, the smooth skin of her cheek on his chest.

"Talk with me for awhile?" Chichi asked sheepishly. "Unless you have a big day tomorrow. I don't want to keep you up if you have to get up early." She felt guilty for waking him, but that damn nightmare had just been so vivid. She felt her eyes burn, but refused to let her tears fall. "I just want to stop being so scared. I'm sorry I woke you," she apologized as she drew her knees up a bit, soaking up the safe, secure feeling she got from him.

Hercule chuckled sleepily. "Don't worry about it. My door's always open. Usually I get new staff in here who get lost in the middle of the night. That's a fun one. Ryan or Madeline often swing by at least once a month. I think just so they test me. Want to see how grumpy I am when they wake me up," he said before he craned his neck to look down at her. "Glad you stopped by. You shouldn't be afraid alone. It makes it worse."

Chichi sucked her lip for a moment again. This was so easy, to just fall into bed with him and feel so safe with his arm around her. Her heart warmed to be so close to him, yet her head nagged at her that it was wrong, that she would surely burn in hell for this because she was still married to another man. She lightly traced her fingertips down his chest, drinking in the secure feeling he gave her. "Is it ever going to stop?" she asked without looking at him. "I'm so tired of being on guard every minute of the day. Of jumping at every little thing that moves. I didn't used to be like this, Hercule. I really didn't. I'm so worn out with always being scared."

"Eventually it will," he answered. "It takes about two weeks for a body to make a habit, to break a habit. Every case is different so I can't say for sure. Eventually you will start to relax, you'll stop looking over your shoulder, stop jumping at shadows. It will help once you have some closure on the matter. Not being around him will help too." He laid his head back and looked up at the ceiling in thought. She needed to know that she was safe here, in his house, with him. She needed at least one person she could confide in, who she would know wouldn't betray her or turn away from her. He wanted to be that person. "Trust is earned and I hope that my staff and I can do whatever we need to earn yours."

She gave a soft snort and shook her head as she continued to trace his muscles with her fingers. "No, I hope one day I can earn yours," she answered. She would have to tell him about her past eventually. If she stayed with him for much longer, if this relationship went much further, she wouldn't have a choice. She couldn't keep something like that to herself forever. And it would be better for him to hear it from her than to somehow end up hearing it from anyone else, just like Bulma said. But oh, the thought of telling him all of that terrified her. She could see the look of loathing in his eyes whenever he spoke about an abuser. How would he react when he found out that she was once the same? No, she had to prove to him that she wasn't that person anymore first.

She blinked up at him, studying his eyes for a moment. They were so warm, so caring, even though he was tired and sleepy. But there was an honesty there that she could see that she'd never seen in anyone before. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would never harm her. "I already trust you," she said softly.

He smiled at her, his heart warming at her words. Women like her didn't give trust easily. Obviously he was doing something right. "I'm glad. I'll do what I can not to betray that trust. We just have to be honest with each other about what we want," he said as he brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear before he slid his fingers back into it again, carefully pulling her against him as he tucked the covers more securely around their shoulders.

Chichi sighed into his warmth and slid her arm around his waist, her hand skimming over his chiseled abs. A little smirk pulled at her lips; let Maxwell go to the gym all he wanted to work out and show off for those bimbos. He would never be built like Hercule. She listened to the icy rain beating against the windows and shivered, even though she wasn't cold anymore. "You might want to think about using that soon," she said, eyeing the fireplace in his room.

Hercule opened an eye and looked over towards the fireplace before he smiled down at her. He enjoyed the way her fingers spread over his chest, almost as if she were trying to map him out. "You want me to? I think I could start it up. Might help with the nightmares as well. Fire is supposed to be a good thing, right?" He chuckled and moved to sit up, turning and tucking the warm covers around her again to keep the heat in. "I'll be right back," he said softly as he went over to the fireplace and set about building the fire. He stacked the nearby supply of logs up carefully before he took a match box from the nearby table and lit it. The warm glow from the fire soon filled the room and its warmth heated up the air. He liked how it threw an orange glow over everything. Light from a fire was the best.

Chichi watched him work, smiling at the fact that he did it himself and didn't call in one of his staff to do it. She lifted the blankets for him and tucked him in next to her when he returned to the bed. The fire crackled and popped, the sound soothing her even more as she laid her head on his chest again and stared into the dancing flames. "Do you think people can change?" she asked. "I mean, really change. I'm trying so hard to be different, to make a better life, and I just can't seem to stop dwelling on the past." She longed for a day where she didn't feel the biting sting of guilt or of fear. Both emotions seemed to consume her life for so long, she couldn't remember what anything else felt like. Except maybe anger and hatred, which were thing she felt day in and day out before she'd seen the error of her ways. Either way, it was a miserable existence and she wanted neither. That was why she craved Hercule so much. She didn't feel those things as much when she was with him. He made everything better.

"Yes," he answered. "A funny thing happens when you try to make changes. Things change," he said as he slipped his hand into her hair again, looking at the fire as he let the strands slip through his fingers over and over. He just couldn't seem to stop touching her hair, marveling at the silky texture of it. "People change when they least expect it, without even trying. It's alright for you to dwell on the past so long as you don't live in it. The past shapes what's ahead, we look at past mistakes and use that as a guide for how we move forward. People who see mistakes yet choose not to do anything about them don't change at all."

A tiny smile formed on her lips and she looked up at him again. "Who knew you were so wise?" she asked quietly and shifted in the bed to press a kiss to his lips. She did it without thinking, without worry of whether it was right or wrong. All she knew was that she wanted to be as close to him as possible, to know affection and kindness again. It had been so long since she'd had any of that. And although she knew she deserved none of it, she couldn't stop the craving for it. For him.

Hercule hummed happily against the surprising kiss, curling his fingers in her hair. "I have my moments," he said contentedly as he turned his head into her hair and pulled her closer as he sighed. The warmth from her body, the fire, the blankets, it was all starting to pull his mind into a delightful haze. The aches in his body from an exceptionally hard day of training, the fatigue made sleep curl around him faster than he would have liked. He was rather enjoying the soft talk they were having. "You know, after a day like today, I think I'm going to hire someone to come in and set up some kind of massage spa thing soon." He recalled his matches earlier that week and how it reminded him of Maxwell and the utter lies he had spouted off at him of sending Chichi to a day spa when she was locked into a freezing cold room. "In the effort of spending more time together, it could be a couple's thing, if you are interested?"

Chichi perked up at that. "Really? I've never been to a spa or, you know, had a professional massage. That sounds like fun," she smiled at him. But she felt a bit self-conscious the next moment. "Do you think the marks on my skin are faded enough though? I don't want anyone to look at me funny. And I certainly don't want them to think you did it." She needed to get more of that cream from him. It definitely worked better than anything else she'd ever tried to heal her bruises. And gods knew she had years of experience with trying to figure out the best way to heal herself from lumps and bruises.

Hercule smiled and looked at her. "Oh yeah, don't worry about that. It'll be a nice private room here set up all nice. I'll ask Madeline to set us up with two of the best people in the business. She'll find people who are not only discreet, but also know my work. They'll know that I'd never lay a hand on any woman," he said. He paused and thought about it for a moment, wondering how she would handle such a thing. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable in his home. "Would that be alright with you? Letting a stranger touch you like that? It'd be another woman, I'd make sure of that."

Chichi thought about it for a moment and frowned. "I don't know," she answered quietly. She hadn't even thought about that. She tucked her chin and pouted slightly. "Maybe you should just enjoy a day to yourself. I don't think I'd like anyone to touch me. Except for maybe you," she said, her voice hushed and tiny. She knew she wouldn't be comfortable with a man touching her. That was for sure. But even having a woman do it felt odd. It was still strange enough to her to let Madeline fix her hair or help with her makeup. To let a strange woman rub on her skin seemed very weird to her.

Hercule smiled and twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. "Baby steps I suppose, but it would be hard to enjoy the day of getting to know you if you aren't there with me," he teased. "Besides, it's not that bad. Someone who knows the human body working out all of the kinks and strains of the day. I think I'd go for a hot stone massage myself. They place these hot rocks in a line on your back, usually down the spine. Gods, that's a slice of heaven right there." It had been far too long since he'd indulged in a massage. He stretched and sighed, happy just to think about it. He would love to pamper her for a day, letting her get a facial, a massage, manicure, whatever it was women did that made them feel beautiful and appreciated.

"Well, I guess I can give it a try. That does sound nice," she said with a yawn. She covered her mouth, but was unable to hide it. She snuggled more into his side, blinking sleepily at the fire. The dull cracks and snapping of flames began to lull her, making her melt against him. His fingers in her hair felt amazing and she let her eyes slide closed. "We can talk about it more in the morning," she said sleepily, her voice slightly airy as she fought to stay awake.

He smiled down at her, turning more onto his side, drawing her more securely in his arms. It had been a while, a long while since he had gone to sleep with someone in his arms. The weight was comforting and he let his head sink into the soft pillow. "Going to sleep on me? That's good. I'll do my best to chase away the nightmares." He yawned as well, the crackling of the fire and the smell of wood smoke making his eyes grow heavy. "I'll see you in the morning. Perhaps maybe breakfast in bed. Then the staff will really talk," he teased quietly.

Chichi was too tired to worry about what his staff would think. She nodded and tucked her head under his chin as she slid one arm around his neck, hugging him tightly. As long as he was next to her, she was safe. Even Maxwell couldn't get to her as long as she was with Hercule. Not even in her dreams.


	9. Breathless Moments

Chichi sleepily opened her eyes, not realizing where she was for a moment. She was surprised to wake up next to Hercule in the morning with sunlight gleaming through the windows. She gave a little start when she realized where she was, Hercule's heavy arm around her waist, her back up against his chest. She could smell his cologne. She smiled and snuggled down deeper into the pillows, sighing contentedly with his arm around her. She wiggled back against him just a bit, wanting to feel more of his warmth around her. Her eyes went wide as she felt something rather large and hard against her backside. She bit her lip and whimpered as her lust for him was renewed. Oh gods, she should never have come into his bedroom last night.

She didn't know what to do. If she snuck out, she was afraid of hurting his feelings or offending him somehow. It seemed rude. But if she stayed and woke him, she was afraid of embarrassing him because of his arousal or, even more to the point, afraid of what she might agree to if he was really in the mood. She pouted, sighing through her nose, not knowing what to do. She pressed back against him ever so slightly and bit her lip. Goodness, he seemed so big. Her core throbbed again, making her ache for him. She shook her head. These strange feelings she kept getting were starting to confuse her more and more. She finally turned over to face him, smiling a bit as she watched him sleep. He was still sound asleep, a slight smile on his lips.

She swallowed nervously before she pressed a light kiss to his lips. "Good morning," she said softly, keeping a bit of distance between their bodies so that he wouldn't realize she knew he'd woken up in such a state.

Hercule started awake, not used to having a warm body in his bed to wake up to. And what a sight she was. The way her hair spilled across his pillow, the smile on her face. He nearly groaned at himself, feeling his hardness throbbing in time with his heartbeat. _'Down you,'_ he thought ruefully at himself, even though he wanted nothing more than to pull her closer and bury his hot length inside of her. He smiled at Chichi, kissing her soft lips, having to stop himself from moaning out. "Mmm, a very good morning. Not often I get to wake up to a lovely lady next to me. Did you get any sleep?"

"I did," she smiled sleepily at him. "The best sleep I've had in years, to tell the truth. You're easy to fall asleep with." She kissed him back, cupping his cheek in her hand. He was even more attractive first thing in the morning, his blue eyes looking sleepy but content. She kissed him a little harder, scooting closer to him. She didn't mean to press up against him the way she did, she just longed to be close to him, but she felt his hard length against her thigh and she moaned lightly before she pulled away, blushing furiously once again. "Sorry," she squeaked. "I didn't mean to." Gods, it was suddenly so hot in that room. She wondered what would it feel like to have him inside her. She shivered, turning her face slightly away and licking her lips. Oh, she couldn't. She was still married to Maxwell, no matter how much she hated him now. A million thoughts went swirling through her mind. Would he be rough with her like Maxwell? Or would he be gentle, attentive, taking his time to pleasure her in a way she'd never felt before. Did she want to find out? _'YES,'_ her mind screamed.

Hercule couldn't stop the soft moan that escaped past his lips. "Mm, see what you do to me?" he chuckled. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Just can't help it sometimes." He tried to shift his hips away from her, biting his lip as the movement only further heightened his arousal. He leaned down, kissing her carefully again. "So, ah, did you want to do breakfast?" Hercule smiled at her. He wanted her. Oh gods help him, he wanted her. Did she want him too? He wasn't sure; he didn't want to scare her off.

"I'm not really hungry yet," she answered. Her breath seemed stolen from her, like she couldn't breathe properly, and her heart was racing again. She appreciated that he had withdrawn from her, that he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. But that just made her want him even more. Her hand trembled as she reached out and wrapped her fingers around his bicep, encouraging him to scoot back closer to her. She felt like she should say something. Something witty or cute or seductive, but words eluded her and she pressed her lips to his instead, kissing him passionately.

Hercule blinked at her as they kissed, pulling back slightly, reaching up and gently pulling her back for a moment. "Chichi, do you really want to do this? I'm not sure if I can stop myself if you say yes," he said, leaning down, brushing his lips against her temple, "Gods, I can barely resist you now." He moaned against her, trying his best to stop his hips from thrusting up against her.

"I shouldn't, but I do," she answered. Oh gods, she wanted him too. But she was still married to Maxwell. It was wrong, wasn't it? Oh to hell with it. "I don't want you to think of me like those other women, Hercule. I'm not like them. But I want you. You make me feel safe and you treat me like a human being and not something to be owned or controlled. The things you spoke about the other night really got to me. I want that. I want to know what it's like. Please." She needed this. She wanted to feel the things he'd talked about, to know what a partnership was like, to be able to tell him if she enjoyed something or if she wanted him to stop and know that he would. She kissed him again, daring to press herself against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. She pressed kisses along his rough jawline, the stubble lightly scratching her lips. "I've never enjoyed this before, but I want you."

Hercule felt his length twitching at her words as his heart warmed. He wanted her. He rolled her over, kissing her long and hard just because he could, nibbling along her lips, tasting her mouth. He wanted more. He let himself drift lower, kissing her jaw, down between her breasts, kissing at her nipples beneath her nightgown, spending a moment there to savor her. He nipped at the flesh, tight and hard, flicking his tongue over her. He moved to sit up, reaching out and tugging on her nightgown, carefully lifting it over her head and tossing it aside. "I can do that," he murmured before he cupped her cheek and kissed her softly, gently moving her to lay on her back as he moved the covers off of her. He leaned back, smiling at her as he looked her over. A few fading bruises here and there, but she was beautiful. Her rosy nipples hardened in the morning air, or arousal. He wasn't certain in that moment. He was aching for her, but he wanted to make sure she was satisfied before he enjoyed himself. He reached out to her, trailing his hands carefully over her smooth skin. He lightly pinched at a nipple, smiling as it hardened further.

Chichi gave a gasp as his strong fingers pinched her sensitive flesh. It only made her core throb and ache for him more and she whined, writhing on the bed before him. "Oh gods," she breathed. She moaned as her back arched and she closed her eyes, longing for him to have his way with her. She opened her eyes again and stared up at him with a sultry look. "Mark, please," she begged as she reached out and trailed her fingertips along the waistband of his boxers. A blush touched her cheeks again as she asked, "Can I see you? All of you?"

He found himself smiling at her and he nodded, moving to strip off his boxers, unable to stop the moan that escaped his lips as his length sprang free. He could see the worried look in her eyes as she looked him over. He moved his hand down to cup her sex, stroking her folds beneath her underwear. He shuddered at the heat he felt. He wanted to taste more of her. He gently urged her to part her legs, moving to take her panties off, slipping them down her impossibly smooth legs. He gave her a smile, reaching out and cupping her cheek, afraid of the frightened look in her eyes. "Don't you worry, Little Lady. I'm not going to hurt you."

Chichi gasped out as she felt him remove her panties, completely exposing her body to him in the bright daylight. Oh gods, what was she doing?! She didn't enjoy sex, she never had. Why did she suddenly find herself wanting him so bad? She wanted to tell him to stop, this was a mistake, but... "Ohhhhh," she cried as she felt his hand close over her body, his strong fingers gently rubbing her just right.

He leaned over Chichi, watching her carefully as he touched her. He wanted to show her what a beautiful thing this could be. The partnership she wanted to see. He settled down between her legs on his stomach, using his arms to support his weight over her as he leaned down and captured a tight nipple between his lips, using his teeth and tongue to gently tease it. He looked up, locking eyes with Chichi as he did so to make absolutely certain she wouldn't be in any pain at any time. His other hand found its way to her neglected breast where he proceeded to pinch and roll the nipple between his fingers. Gods, she was perfect. His cock throbbed between his legs, but he put it out of his mind. This was just as arousing, to know that he could bring her this pleasure even after being horribly abused like she had.

Chichi gasped and cried out as his hot mouth teased her nipple. The feel of his tongue flicking over it sent hot jolts of pleasure through her body, and she squirmed on the bed beneath him. She couldn't believe how careful he was with her, how he watched her to read her expression. He really did care about bringing her pleasure instead of just satisfying his own needs. It was so foreign to her. She hissed through her teeth as his fingers tweaked her other nipple and she bit her lip, lifting her hips against his body. "Oh gods, that feels so good," she whispered, feeling her face burn slightly.

He smiled against her as he switched breasts, covering her neglected nipple and he gently worked the one he had let go. The hiss had not escaped his attention and he toned it down a bit. He lifted his lips from her body, seeing the blush on her face. "You keep telling me how good it is, alright?" he asked before he lowered himself back down to her. He did love this part about a woman. There was just something so attractive to him about breasts, what they represented in a woman and not just for sexual purposes. He finally decided it was time to move on as Chichi kept raising her hips against him. He had no doubt in his mind that she was trying to get this over with because that was what she was used to. He wanted to show her what it could be like. That this could be an all-day marathon if she so wished, the two of them just worshiping each other's bodies. He kissed his way down her body, pausing to lick at a few spots on his way down. He paused to dip his tongue into her navel to see her reaction.

She sat up on her elbows suddenly, looking down at him as he kissed and licked lower and lower on her body. "Wh-what are you doing?" she asked, her voice higher than normal. She slicked her long black hair out of her face as she looked at him. She trembled, wondering what it would feel like to have his mouth on her there, but at the same time not wanting him to. She knew how much she hated doing that for Maxwell and she wasn't about to ask something similar of Hercule. "You don't have to do that. Really." She whined again as he kissed at her stomach, his whiskered chin brushing her soft skin. Oh, but he was talented with that mouth. She imagined his hot tongue swirling over her, teasing her, pleasuring her, and it made her core throb again, slicking the insides of her thighs with her essence. "We can just get to it," she said nervously. "I… I don't think I'd like it."

Hercule blinked up at her, his nose just above her curls. He pulled back from her. "I ah... I wanted to taste you." He blushed hotly at the admission, but reached out for her again, brushing his thumb over the little nub, stroking the wetness there. "Do you trust me?"

Chichi was panting, her hair falling into her face, the blush still burning on her nose and cheeks. "I... What? Do I trust you?" she gasped, her brain on fire. "Well... yes... of course I do..." Her head fell back and she drew a long hiss through her teeth as his thumb brushed over her wet sex. "I... I've never... no one's... ohhhhhhh." She'd never felt such pleasure in her life, just from him simply stroking her with his thumb. She didn't know if she could handle the heat of his mouth on her.

Hercule stopped what he was doing, looking up at her with concern in his eyes. "Am I hurting you?" He could see that he wasn't, her eyes held nothing but lust and want. He chuckled, "Believe it or not, Little Lady, I want this. I enjoy doing this for my partners," he said honestly. He knew that it might be embarrassing for her, being her first time she'd ever had cunnilungus, and having an almost stranger/friend down there could be blush worthy, but he wanted it. She was so sheltered. He couldn't believe that no one had done this for her before. He wanted her to want it. "I want to taste you," he repeated as he went lower, licking at her open thighs a moment before he finally looked at her center. She was glistening wet for him already and he could smell her fragrant scent in the air. It only made him throb more.

He looked up at her. "Do you really not want me to do this?" he asked from between her legs, teasingly darting out his tongue to lick at the apex of her thighs.

Chichi gasped out and fell back against the pillows. "I don't know," she lied. She wanted him to. Oh by the gods, she wanted him to. But it just felt so awkward, she felt so vulnerable, especially in the bright morning light like this. He seemed like he really wanted to do that for her. She finally pushed herself up on her elbows again to look at him. "Okay," she said in a tiny voice before she fell back on the bed once more and covered her face with her hands.

Hercule smiled against her before he turned his attention back to her fully. He shook his head and got comfortable between her legs, moving her thighs so they rested on his shoulders as he moved forward, using his thumb to part her glistening sex, revealing the gem within, and he stroked over the ruby red center. He looked back up at her. She was panting hard, a thick red blush over her cheekbones. He couldn't wait any more, she smelled so divine and he really, really wanted to see her reaction to this. "You are gorgeous," he said, locking his eyes with hers as he leaned down and sealed his mouth around her. He moaned loudly at the sweet taste of her as he sealed his lips around her clit. Suckling on the hard little nub hidden in her folds, he moved to sweep his tongue over her. He pierced her hot flesh with his tongue, savoring her, drinking in deeply her nectar. He couldn't stop the moan that escaped his mouth as he did, growing harder at the flavor of her body, the way her muscles clenched around him. He carefully used his tongue to circle around the hard nub, looking up at her face to judge her reaction.

Chichi's back arched off the bed as a long moan escaped her throat. That felt even more amazing than she'd anticipated. She was shaking from head to toe, staring down at him, his blue eyes locked on hers. Gods, his eyes were gorgeous. Her heart fluttered in her chest, the way he stared at her as he pleasured her made Chichi want to scream or cry with joy. His mouth was so hot upon her, his wet tongue swirling all over her most intimate spot. This was incredible. What had she been missing her entire life? She didn't know what to feel in that moment. All the lies she'd been fed all her life seemed to flood her mind about how women who had sex for pleasure were whores, that it was dirty and wrong, that it was a sin. Surely something that felt this good couldn't be wrong, could it? And if it was wrong, she was starting not to care. She pushed the thought from her head. She didn't need to be dwelling on all her mistakes in that moment. For right now, just this moment, nothing existed but her and this man.

She reached over her shoulders with both hands and grabbed the headboard, digging her nails into it. She swallowed harshly as his soft, hot tongue swirled around her clit, making her wiggle her hips against his face a little more. She ached to feel him inside her, even though he was huge, much bigger than she'd had before. That made her a little nervous, but still she wanted it. She cried out as his tongue flicked rapidly over the sensitive little nub, making her body jerk. "More? Please more," she begged, her voice an airy whisper, almost afraid to ask for it.

Hercule could feel himself leaking against the bed sheets, he was so hard. Hearing Chichi ask for more only spurred him on to grant that wish, to give this woman so much pleasure she lost the ability to speak. He carefully tilted his head to the side, never separating himself from her clit. He lifted a hand, a single finger and coated it in her slick essence before he carefully pushed it into her, his eyes like a hawk as he watched for any signs of discomfort as he searched for that special place inside of her where her clit could be teased from the other side of the vagina.

Chichi screamed out in pleasure as his finger slid into her and hit something that made her body seize up and clench around him. "Oh gods, Mark!" she cried out, panting and sweating on the bed, writhing against his face. She was lost in the sensations, her eyes squeezed shut as she blocked out the morning light, concentrating on nothing but him and the pleasure he gave her. She bent her knees, using the leverage to lift her hips a bit more, opening her body up to him. She bit her lip so hard she opened up the split there, but she barely noticed it. She could feel her body winding up to something amazing, a heat pooling low in her belly. "You're amazing," she managed to squeak out.

Hercule could literally feel the strain in her body. Never before in his grand two girlfriends and one wife had he ever felt any woman this wound up before. She needed this. She needed this badly for herself, to know that this pleasure was okay to want, healthy to want. He removed his finger and delved his tongue into her tight heat, moaning against her as his finger took over where his mouth had been, carefully teasing her nub faster and faster as he felt her clench around him. Her orgasm had to be imminent. He briefly wondered if she knew what an orgasm felt like. He opened his eyes and fixed them on her face, determined to watch her for the first time he made her come.

Chichi almost felt like she couldn't breathe. Her whole body was tense, shaking, on the edge of something and she wasn't sure if she wanted to go over that edge or not. She grabbed at the bed sheets, digging her nails into them as she cried out, her toes curling. She tried to tell him to stop, she didn't know what was happening, her body wound so tight it almost hurt, but the next second, wave after wave of pleasure crashed through her and she screamed out as the orgasm took her. On and on it seemed to last, his mouth and fingers teasing her through it, drawing it out until tears prickled her eyes. She finally fell back against the bed, limp and shaking, her entire body covered with sweat. "Oh wow," she gasped out, barely opening her eyes to look at him.

Hercule hung onto her body, swirling his tongue around her, drinking from her as her body tensed and her essence flowed forth like the nectar from the gods. It just kept coming, her body spasming around him, his tongue. He let his eyes close as he drank deeply, soothing his tongue over her until her quaking stopped and she stilled, her gasping breath the only sound in the warm room. The morning light casting over her made her look like a goddess. No smeared makeup, for she wore none. Her long raven hair spilled out around her head like a dark halo. He licked his lips clean, reaching up and wiping his nose, still moist with her essence. He smiled up at her, resting his chin on her hip. "You alright there, Little Lady?" he asked and chuckled when she nodded.

Hercule smiled at her and pulled back, moving to her side so he could gently tug her into his arms. She was boneless and he was shocked. How long had his woman been without an orgasm? He gently moved her hair off of her face, tucking it behind an ear as he waited for her to come back to herself. He was still rock hard, aching, leaking, demanding to have some satisfaction, but now he wasn't so sure. That looked as if it had been the first orgasm she had ever had. He didn't want to overwhelm her, though he wanted nothing more than to bury himself into her tight heat. He shuddered at that thought. She was probably tight like a virgin if that jerk hadn't been treating her right. He shook those thoughts from his mind, his only concern at that moment was Chichi's pleasure. "Hey there, Little Lady. What did you think?" he asked, a nervousness working its way through him.

She curled up against his side, still trying to catch her breath. "That was wonderful," she managed to gasp out. Everything she'd been told was a lie. She opened her eyes to look up at him and gave him a little smile. She felt his thick length throb against the front of her thigh and she glanced down at him, seeing it standing proud against her. She wanted to return the pleasure, to make him feel as good as he had for her, but she didn't know if she wanted to do that. She hated it when Maxwell made her do that for him. With a shaking hand, Chichi reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his thick shaft, giving it a light stroke. She worried her lip between her teeth as she gave him a nervous look. "Did you want me to return the favor?" she asked.

Hercule moaned at her touch, bucking into her tight grasp. He pulled back out of her reach with all the willpower he had. "I don't want you to do anything you aren't comfortable with. I know this is sudden and kind of out of the blue, but I want to do this right with you. I want to show you the partnership, that the act of love can be so much more pleasurable than what that creep might have ingrained into your system. You've never explored your sexuality, have you?"

She shook her head at his question. "No," she answered. She pulled her hands back, ducking her head and blushing. Maybe she was doing it wrong. She was so confused in that moment. She couldn't understand why he'd pulled away from her. She looked up at him, her eyes questioning. "I'd like to do more with you," she said, choosing her words carefully, not wanting to sound crude. "I don't want to seem selfish, but what you just did for me… I don't know if I can do the same for you. I'm sorry. But if there's anything else you want to do, I'd like to try it."

Hercule smiled at her, a big grin splitting his face. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. I'm not going to force you to do something. That isn't what this is about. This is about two people learning to trust each other, to trust their own bodies. To know what pleasures us and what pleasures each other." He reached up, brushing his knuckles against her cheek. "And I don't want to do anything that's going to hurt you. There are toys we could play with, but I consider those more of an advanced stage of love making. I need to know a few more things before we start branching out from the basics," he said. "Giving head or giving cunnilungus is an act that takes trust and restraint. You can't force a partner to do it or it takes away from the experience. If done right, both expressions can be done where both partners enjoy the act." He gave her a wink, "You taste delicious by the way. I would have you for dessert any time."

She gave a little gasp at his blunt compliment and her face burned anew. "Hercule!" she scolded and covered the side of her face with her hand, trying to hide in the pillow. She'd never expected him to say such a thing. How he had enjoyed doing that was a strange concept to her. She dared to peek at him again, her face still incredibly hot. She wanted him to make love to her, to hold her and pleasure her, to return that pleasure to him as well. But she wasn't sure how to voice that to him. Maybe he wasn't interested in that, but she couldn't understand. Of course Maxwell would use her and then shove her away, denying her the lovemaking she so desperately craved. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked timidly. "You… you pulled away from me."

He blinked at her for a moment, remembering that he had pulled from her touch. He ached to put himself back into her hands. "I didn't want to overwhelm you, Little Lady. I know that most of this is new to you and I didn't want you to feel like you had to do anything in return," he said with a smile. "I don't want you to do anything that you don't want to do. I am pleased that you got pleasure and that's all that should matter. If you don't feel like returning the act for any reason, I'm not going to force you to do that. Does that make sense?"

"I guess," she said uncertainly. She blinked up at him, feeling a bit frustrated with herself for being so shy about voicing her wants. "But I do want to return the favor. Just not in that way," she finally said and scooted a little closer to him. Oh, she felt so vulnerable.

He nodded and moved to hold her close. This had to be about her and her wants, not his. "Whatever we do next, where ever we go from here, you decide. Sound good?"

"Me?" she gasped. She'd never been in control in the bedroom. "I... I don't..." She paused and blushed again. She felt so stupid. She was old enough she should've had a better grasp on these sort of things. But she'd always just sort of laid there in the past. She hadn't been interested in sex with Goku, and Maxwell was always in control, pinning her to the bed and having his way until he was satisfied with no thought of her pleasure at all.

"I don't know what to do," she whispered, tipping her forehead to rest against his chest. She swallowed nervously as she ran her hand down his chest, slipping under the blankets. Her hand found his length and she gripped him, pulling her hand back up over that thick, hard shaft. She shivered again. He was huge. She tried to fit her hand around him a little better as she stroked him again, watching his expression to see if she was doing it right.

Hercule shuddered, unable to stop the gruff laugh that made it past his lips before he moaned at her touch. "You sure you don't?" He bit his lip as her soft hand gripped him tightly, stroking up and down his flesh. "You could have fooled me." He panted hard, opening his eyes to meet hers, seeing the uncertainty in her eyes. He blinked, unable to stifle another moan as she twisted her wrist in just the right way. "Oh gods woman, you are going to be the death of me." He could feel precum dripping out of his tip. He wanted so much more than her hand over him. "That feels amazing, Chichi." He thrust forward, just a little bit into her grip, moaning even louder.

_'Well I must be doing something right,'_ Chichi thought to herself, feeling her confidence growing a bit. She loved the fell of his hard, warm cock in her hand, skin to skin. The tip was wet and she ran her palm over it, spreading it down his length. She couldn't quite get her hand all the way around him. Gods, she was scared in the moment. He was going to want more and she didn't know if she could handle it. Goku had always been so careful with her, and Maxwell was NOTHING compared to Hercule's size. A small whimper escaped her lips as she thought about it. She looked back up at him again, still questioning, "Like this?"

Hercule moved, rolling onto his back, nodding at her. He reached down, closing his hand over hers around his shaft, nearly bucking up at the sensation, but managed to control himself. Showing her just how he liked it, he guided her hand; a firmer grip, smooth stroke up and down, squeezing tighter as she neared the tip. He moaned out in bliss. That was pure bliss. "Just like that." He looked over at her, a hot blush staining his cheeks and he smiled at her, until he saw the hesitation on her face. "Hey," he gasped. He'd heard the whimper. She had to have whimpered for a reason. "What's wrong? It's no good unless both of us are enjoying it."

"Nothing's wrong," she answered a little too quickly. She arranged her expression and met his eyes. "I just want to make sure I'm doing it right." She let him guide her hand a few times before he pulled his hand away and she did it on her own. She licked her lips, wanting to see him. She slowly pulled the blankets down until they were below his hips. She stared as his length stood proud, the hard red flesh twitching in her hand. She gripped him with both hands, watching in fascination as the cum dripped from the tip, her hands still stroking him exactly the way he'd instructed.

Hercule couldn't stop his hips from bucking up into the tight grip on him. He moaned softly; he didn't know why but he could feel that hot blush still on his cheeks. He was carefully watching Chichi, making sure she wasn't uncomfortable in any way. She had told him that Maxwell had been rough with her. How rough and in the bed as well as out? He didn't want her to do anything she didn't want to do. Oh but by the gods how he wanted her, to sink into the tight heat her body offered. He could feel himself quickly approaching his orgasm. She was too good. The mere thought of her drove him insane. "Chichi," he breathed, "I'm going to come." He looked at her, trying to convey that if she didn't want anything on her, she'd better pull away.

Chichi bit her lip, daring to stroke him a little faster. She wanted to see it happen for some reason, even if she didn't know why. It had always grossed her out before. But it was different with him. She squeezed him just a bit tighter, feeling him pulse in her hand. She thought about pulling away, but he was enjoying himself so much. For crying out loud, he'd put his mouth on her, surely she could do this for him. She felt him swell as the pearly white strands shot forth from the tip.

Hercule cried out as he came, her hand tightening around him, milking him until that moment when his tension snapped and he keened, his hips thrusting forward into her grip, his white essence splurting from the tip and splattering over his exposed chest. He locked his eyes with Chichi's as he came. He'd always been a visual person and looking at her, that beauty, that innocent beauty, the wide eyes... It was more than he could bear and a second orgasm washed through him as he swelled in her hand and came again. "OH GODS!" he shouted. "YES, CHICHI! YES!" He finally relaxed back into the soft mattress, his chest heaving as he caught his breath, smiling up at the woman. He reached and tucked a strand of silky black hair behind her ear.

Chichi was breathless, seeing him lose himself so completely in the moment, no boisterous attitude, no corny jokes to cover the way he really felt. Just him, enjoying her touch, calling out her name. She let her hands fall from him, not sure what she should do in that moment. She didn't want to just wipe them on the blankets. She looked around and spotted the box of tissues sitting on the bedside table and she grabbed them, wiping her hands clean. A smile pulled at her lips. She'd made him orgasm and she had enjoyed doing it. She turned back to him, still smiling. "Was that okay?" she asked uncertainly, just wanting to hear his reassurance once more.

Hercule looked at her like she was crazy as he took the offered Kleenex and cleaned himself off. "Are you kidding me? Was that okay? That was amazing!" He sighed happily as he laid back, looking over the side of the bed and tossing the soiled tissue into the wastebasket before he flopped back on the bed, his arms spread wide, smiling at her, pulling her down to him, reaching up and kissing her hands. "You were amazing."

She let him pull her into his arms and she sighed happily as she rested her cheek over his heart, listening to it as it raced in his chest. She was lost in his scent, in his warm embrace. And even though she'd just had the most amazing orgasm of her life, the first she'd had in decades, she could feel her core throb for him again. "You're the amazing one," she answered and lifted her face to kiss his lips. "Mark, I want you," she whispered.

He searched her eyes carefully, looking for some sign that she didn't mean what she said. "Chichi, are you sure?" he asked softly. "I don't want you to do something that you'll regret. Especially if you think it's just because I expect it. That's not how I want this relationship to be, Little Lady." He cupped her cheek and stroked his thumb across her skin, a smile pulling at his lips as he stared into her dark eyes. He could see her nervousness, her timidity, but no regret.

Chichi shook her head. "I'm not going to beg you for it. I've done that before and had my heart broken. I want you. Please don't deny me," she said quietly. She moved to kiss at his neck, feeling braver. She was tired of hurting, tired of being so meek and ignored. She wanted his attention. She wanted to know what it was like to finally make love to someone she truly wanted to be with and who wanted her in return.

He reached out, tilting her chin up, staring at her with an intense gaze, brushing his large thumb over her lips. "Little lady, I will give you whatever you want from me," he said as he leaned over and kissed her passionately.

She looked at him, her eyes pleading desperately. "Please be gentle. I do want you, it's just I'm... a bit nervous." She pressed her lips to his carefully, feeling her shoulders tremble slightly. She couldn't stand it if he was rough with her like Maxwell was. "Please," she whispered.

Hercule turned on his side, looking at her with a seriousness that was usually absent from his stage persona, something special just for her. He dragged a hand through his hair, muttering something under his breath about Maxwell as he watched Chichi, seeing how nervous she was. How scared. What on earth that that creep done to her? He was determined to show her that she didn't deserve to be treated like that, that he could make love to her like a woman deserved to be treated.

His length was already filling again, the thought of sinking into her tight heat more than enough to make him ready again as he feasted on the creamy white skin revealed to him. Her breasts were firm and round, a dusky red center for her nipple, still pert and standing out in the air. He couldn't resist and a he groaned as he leaned over and captured one of the soft nubs in his mouth, swirling his tongue around it, his hand going to the free breast, twisting and pulling on the nipple carefully.

Chichi gasped out as his hot mouth closed over her, sucking her nipple. Her body seemed electrified, her nipples achingly hard, her lips beginning to drip with her essence. No one had ever made her feel like this. "Oh god," she whispered, cupping the back of his head with one hand, her other hand going to his length once more. She wanted to feel it in her hand, the way it was rock solid and yet soft at the same time, the heat of it, the texture of the veins beneath the skin. She stroked his hard, swollen shaft, the precum making her hand glide easily over it. She was aching to be touched again, wondering if she'd be able to handle him. She had to know. She had to try. And if she couldn't, well, at least she knew there were other ways she could take care of him. She kissed at his shoulder, inhaling that cologne again. "Please, Mark," she whispered, her lips brushing his ear. "Touch me. Make love to me. Make real love to me, like you mean it. Please... I want you," she begged, surprised at herself. She wanted him so bad.

Hercule gasped and bit his lip. He was trying to go slow, but oh by the gods how her words inflamed him. He found himself nodding, growing hotter in her hand, throbbing for her, aching. The way she panted, begged for him, the way her hand gripped him... Oh she was a fast learner. He couldn't stop himself from bucking into her hand. He had to have her. Her sweet scent permeated the air around him. He'd never made a woman respond quite like Chichi was responding to him now. He had to do this right, he couldn't screw this up.

He carefully moved between her legs, carefully resting the wide head of his cock against that impossibly hot heat of her center. It took every fiber in his being not to slam his hips forward. This was going to kill him. He locked eyes with Chichi and gritted out through clenched teeth, "Remember, if you don't like this or if it hurts, don't you hesitate to stop me." She was squirming, and it was driving him insane. She still wasn't sure about this, he could tell . He swallowed harshly, looking away from her a moment to watch the point of their bodies about to be joined. His tip, dark red, coated in her slick glistening essence. He gripped himself, carefully rubbing himself between her folds, watching as they parted, the tip of his head slowly sliding into her, disappearing from view. Oh by the dear gods in heaven that was bliss. He panted, swallowing hard at the vice like grip that caught him. He kept a careful eye on her expression, but the feeling of her tight heat around him was almost too much to bear. She was like a virgin, she was so tight. "You...okay?" he panted out, looking back up at her dark eyes.

Chichi's eyes went wide as he started to press into her, stretching her body around his impressive length. She whimpered at the sensation and squirmed uncomfortably; it felt like her body was being split in two. She hadn't been prepared for that. He stretched her impossibly wide, making her ache. But, oh gods, she wanted it. She drew a couple deep breaths, trying to will her body to relax, to accept his huge length. Still breathing heavily, she looked up at him, seeing the way he studied her. She gave a nod. "Just... nnnnn... go slow..." she said. She could feel the heat of his cock, almost soothing her as just a bit more of him slipped inside. She let out a sharp gasp, clenching her eyes shut for a moment. Oh, if she could get past the pain, this would feel amazing. She just knew it would. She reached up and cupped his face in her hands, pulling him down to kiss him soundly. "Don't stop," she whispered, her lips brushing against his as she spoke. "I want it. Please don't stop. I'll be alright. I'm sorry. It's just... you're so big..." She swallowed, locking eyes with him, a determined look on her face. "More." And just to prove her point, she lifted her hips a bit, taking a little more of his cock into her body.

Hercule cried out as she took more of him into her, by the gods she was so tight on him. He swallowed hard as he began to press into her again. Her heat was exquisite on him, every inch of her clenching down on him in a way he could barely fathom. "Oh gods, Chichi," he moaned as he lowered his head into the crook of her neck, still so very carefully pushing into her. "By the gods, woman, you are tight," he breathed. She was definitely trying to prove something. He should have taken more time to prepare her; he didn't want to hurt her.

He carefully leaned down, bracing himself above her so he didn't spear her all at once. He lowered his head to her face, catching her sweet lips in a passionate kiss, slipping his tongue into her mouth, sliding along her own. She was hot, she was sweet. It was delicious. He moaned against her, using his hands to bring her pleasure, cupping her breasts, pinching her nipples, anything to help take her mind off of him as he carefully, agonisingly slowly let himself slip into her body, inch by hot inch.

Her voice was high and strained again as she cried out, feeling her body stretch around him. She scratched at his back, digging her nails in. He was still slipping into her, pressing more and more of his length into her body. Good lord, how big was he? A squeaky gasp escaped her throat as he finally sheathed himself inside her, his hips pressed against the insides of her thighs, his strong length piercing her deeply. She cupped the back of his head, holding him against her as her body held him securely. She could feel her muscles working around him, trying to accommodate his huge length. Oh, he was exquisite. Even without him moving, she could feel the pleasure radiating from her core, sending little tremors through her body. She'd never been so filled before. How was that even possible? Just laying beneath him, her body speared by him, unmoving, she thought she could orgasm again just from the feel of his body inside hers. "Oh gods," she sobbed, grabbing his face and kissing him firmly on the lips. She swallowed, still trying to relax. It was starting to hurt less, a pleasurable ache settling in. "Mark," she whispered in his ear as she grew a little more accustomed to the feel of him, the stretched feeling subsiding, "Make love to me."

Hercule could barely contain himself, it was wonderful to be seated inside of her like this. He wanted nothing more than to just pound into her, but this morning wasn't about him. This was about her and her pleasure. He had to bite his own lip to contain the pleasure he felt for this woman. Her body was tight and hot upon his own unlike anything he had felt before. His heart went out to her, that she had never known a pleasure before in bed. To think that the pleasure in bed was reserved for a man only was absurd and he wanted to make sure that she knew that a woman had every right to feel pleasured as much, if not more, than a man.

He trembled with the sheer strength it took him to not pound into her. He leaned his head against hers, smiling at her, feeling his cock, his entire cock, buried within her. Oh gods, that wasn't going to help him. "You... you're amazing, Chichi. No one's done this in a long time. Not the whole thing. Good girl... good girl." He kissed her soundly. He hadn't felt this intimacy, this closeness with anyone since his late wife.

He was going to take his time, let her adjust to his body. He carefully moved his hips a little bit, groaning as he felt himself shifting inside of her. He kissed her again and again, feeling a little bit bolder and withdrew more than the previous time and slid back into her incredible tight heat. "Oh Chichi," he groaned out, unable to mutter anything more than her name. He carefully moved back out of her, thrusting back in, taking a pace that was slow but satisfying. He was on the brink as it was; it was becoming like torture to him to hold off, and he was at a dilemma because he loved the feeling of her on his cock, stretched open for him and only him. He wanted to bring her pleasures that no other man could.

Chichi cried out as he began to gently thrust into her. Her whole world was nothing but pure bliss, every worry and care gone from her mind. All that existed was that man and the connection between their bodies. He felt thick and hot as he delved deep into her body, making her moan wantonly for him. How was it possible for him to press up against all those sensitive spots at the same time? Her g-spot, her cervix, the place between his hips rubbing against her clit. She wrapped her arms around him, scratching her nails down his back as she experimentally rocked her hips to meet his thrusts. She blinked up at him when a deep moan sounded from his throat and she did it again, a little quicker, a little more forceful this time, watching his reaction as she too moaned in pleasure. She clung to him for all she was worth, loving his weight over top of her. THIS is what it was supposed to be like. She kissed at his collarbone and moaned into the crook of his neck.

Hercule could barely stand it as she reciprocated in kind for him. It was amazing. "Gods yes. More! More, Chichi!" he cried as he thrusted into her, loving the way she clenched down on his cock. "So amazing."

Taking encouragement from him, she snapped her hips up to meet him, crying out as the pleasure shot through her body. "L-like this?" she gasped, meeting his thrusts faster and harder. Oh gods, that was amazing. She threw her head back and cried out as he thrust deeper into her. "Harder," she whined before she even realized the word had slipped past her lips.

Hercule was never one to disappoint, and he lifted her legs up over his shoulders before he pounded into her harder, faster than before. He couldn't stop the moan that passed through his lips at her enthusiasm. "You're so good at this, Little Lady" he murmured, nuzzling against her neck. He loved the feeling of her wrapped around him, her body holding him so tightly. He loved all the little sounds she made, the gasps, the moans of delight as he drove himself forcefully into her tight, wet slit.

Chichi's eyes went wide as he thrust into her a little harder, that hot liquid dripping into her body. She could feel it again, that clutching heat pooling low in her abdomen, her body starting to tense around him. "Oh gods! Oh gods!" she cried out, clinging to him, trying to buck against him, but the change in position left her at his mercy. She couldn't believe how deep he was in her body, how he filled her to the breaking point. She screamed and clenched on him, stars exploding before her eyes. It was pain and pleasure all mixed into one gigantic explosion of sensations and she felt her head reeling. "Oh gods, yes! Mark!" she screamed out as she came, her body clenching down on his cock as the waves of orgasm shook her to her core.

Hercule could barely stand the way she was clenching around him, and he felt his balls pulling up tight against his body as his shaft swelled He groaned out, feeling himself throbbing within her. She was so hot, so beautiful. Her passion drove him on and over the edge as he keened against her, thrusting into her, riding out the waves of pleasure as he spilled his seed deeply inside of her, screaming her name out on his lips. He collapsed against her, holding himself above her with what little strength he had left. "How are you feeling babe?"

Chichi's chest rose and fell harshly as she practically melted into the mattress beneath her. "Incredible," she answered, looking up at him with her dark eyes. "Was it good for you, too? I tried…" she said uncertainly. She reached up and cupped his face, pulling him down so she could place a little kiss on his lips. "I've never felt so amazing in all my life. Thank you." She swore she'd never do this again, but this time it was different. Something about him made her feel different.

He smiled at her, kissing at her carefully before he pulled back, pulling out of her with a sigh. "You are amazing. It was fantastic. I'm glad you are satisfied," he said with a contented smile on his face. She was beautiful to him; she seemed to glow in the morning sunlight. He leaned down, kissing at her neck. "What would you say to spending the rest of the day in bed?"

Her heart warmed at that. Maxwell had never wanted to lounge around with her, making love to her all day long. "I'd say yes," she smiled, a big genuine smile that lit up her whole face. She gave a little moan as he pressed hot kisses to her neck and she wrapped her arms around him, tilting her head to give him better access. "I don't think we could make it out of this bed if we had to anyway," she giggled.

Hercule chuckled against her, sucking at a tender spot that he could reach easily. "I think we could spend the entire day here. Let me call Madeline, she'll make sure we don't go hungry," he promised, "Though I can honestly say the only thing I am hungry for right now is you."

"You're insatiable," she accused with a playful little scowl. She sat up a bit, scooting towards the headboard to look down at him. "You can't call Madeline! I don't want everyone to know what we did. They're going to think I'm some sort of gold-digging slut, just trying to get at your money like the rest of those women. I can cook for us if you're hungry. I don't want your staff to think poorly of me or you. I've only been here for a few days."

Hercule grinned at her, laughing happily as he wrapped her up in his arms, burying his nose into her soft skin. "Oh my dear, Little Lady. What do you think Madeline put those blankets out for the other night anyway?" He chuckled at the blush that bloomed on her cheeks. "I would be willing to be good money that she and Ryan have been talking about us for days."

Chichi clapped her hands to her face, feeling it burn even more. "Oh goodness," she squeaked. She parted her fingers, peeking through them at him. "You really think they know?" At his laugh and nod, she covered her eyes again. She dropped her hands and stared accusatorily at him. "How does that not bother you? It doesn't worry you what they might think about you? About me?"

He chuckled, shrinking back only slightly as he cowered from her. "Oh, it's only Ryan and Madeline. And between you and me, they would be spreading rumors even if we hadn't done it," He laughed, tugging her close. "If you don't believe me, check outside the door. There's a reason I hired Madeline as my personal assistant. She probably already has breakfast waiting for us. I shouldn't have to call down at all now that I think about it. "

Chichi blinked at him before she slid out of the bed and wrapped herself in the big bathrobe and went to the door. She glanced over at him as he lounged on the bed and shook her head at him. She cracked open the door, blinking widely at the large cart, laden with covered platters that smelled absolutely heavenly. "Oh my god," she breathed and pulled the cart quickly into the room before she snapped the door shut behind her. "How?"

He chuckled at her as he got out of bed. He only grinned at her as he walked over to her, naked as the day he was born as he looked at the cart with covered food. He lifted the lid on one, inhaling deeply the scent of the sausage and eggs on the platter. "Mmm all my favorites," he said and chuckled at her expression. "I ah," he looked a little embarrassed, "I might have talked to Ryan about us. Just asking for advice. She told me if I was serious about you, that I shouldn't beat around the bushes."

"Oh," Chichi said, lifting an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest as if she were terribly unamused with him. The guilty look that crossed his face was adorable. She enjoyed watching him squirm for just a moment before she giggled and looked down at the cart. "That's okay. I talked to Madeline about you. So I suppose we're even."

Hercule laughed at that. "I figured if one talked that they both would know what's going on. Don't worry about them though, those two you can trust. I don't say that about many people. Madeline and Ryan I would trust my life with. I have trusted my life with them. They are pretty amazing," he said as he stepped up behind her, sliding his hands into her robe, cupping her breasts as he leaned over her, sniffing again at the food. He purred into her ear, "What should we start with first?"

Her knees went weak and she had to grab onto the cart for support as his strong hands caressed her breasts. "Whatever you think is best," she answered as her breasts tingled and swelled with desire for him again. She leaned back against him, arching her chest into his touch. "What are you doing to me?" she asked, her breathing heavier, her core starting to ache again from a simple touch. Now that she'd experienced what it could be like, she didn't know if she could ever stop wanting him, stop yearning for his touch.

"I would have thought that much would be obvious, Little Lady," he said as he let his fingers trail lower, pressing against her lower belly. "I'm very impressed you were able to take all of me at once. You looked amazing like that." He smiled against her, nibbling at her neck before he pulled back from her and picked up two clean plates from the cart as he started filling them with the hot food that had been provided them. He gave Chichi a mischievous look. "I'm going to need a lot of energy if I am going to spend the entire day making sure that you are fully satisfied in every possible way that you could ever want."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Something a little steamy to start your Valentine's Day off right. Enjoy!


	10. Because of You

Chichi fell back against the pillows, trembling as she came down from the blissful high of another orgasm. Hercule lay next to her, breathing heavily with a smile on his face. It wasn't even noon yet and she'd lost count of how many times he'd made her come. She stared up at the ceiling, trying to manage the emotions that swirled through her mind. She hadn't even tried to sort any of it out yet. It was too easy to just go along with Hercule, to lose herself in the pleasure without any thought of what it meant or what the repercussions would be.

She suddenly felt very self-conscious and reached to pull the blankets up to cover herself.

Hercule couldn't remember the last time he had just spent the morning in bed, coming so many times. The last time had to have been with his wife before Videl was born. He managed to roll to his side, curling his arm under his head as he looked at Chichi with a goofy smile on his face. "Simply incredible. I didn't realize that you had so much stamina."

Chichi felt her face burn. "Is that a good thing?" she asked timidly. Now that she had a moment to think, she was questioning everything she'd just done. She'd never been so passionate in bed, crying out for more, raking her nails down his back to hold him closer to her as she came. She felt horrible. Was she too eager? She couldn't even bring herself to look in his eyes now. This was a mistake. It was all too easy. She was too easy.

Hercule chuckled and brushed a strand of hair off her face. "A very good thing. I wish I had that kind of staying power. I'm actually having to catch my breath." He let out a contented sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. "You know what sounds good? And feel free to shoot this down, but I think we should go relax in the hot tub for a little bit. That thing's got Jacuzzi jets and everything. Really great for after hard matches or workouts, or you know… bed marathons," he chuckled.

Chichi had to swallow the knot in her throat. Maybe a hot bath would do her some good. She felt dirty. But she didn't want to bathe with him. This had already gone too far. She scooted a little farther away from him, looking around for the bathrobe she'd worn into his room the previous night. She felt shaky, sort of panicked as all sorts of thoughts swirled through her mind. She finally spotted her robe on the floor and reached for it, pulling it under the blankets to wiggle into it without showing herself to him again. "Maybe I should just… you know… get a shower. B-by myself," she stammered as she finally managed to tie the robe around her.

Red flags went up in Hercule's mind and he slowly sat up, watching her as she suddenly seemed closed off from him. "Um, did I say something wrong, Little Lady?" he asked, pulling the covers up and over his lap. He thought they had been enjoying themselves, he had made certain she wanted everything before he gave anything to her. "Was it something I did?"

She shook her head quickly as she scooted out of the bed and smoothed the blankets down. "No," she answered, still not looking at him. "No, it wasn't you. It's me. Me and my astounding ability to make stupid choices." She brushed the hot tears from her eyes and forced herself to finally look at him. He looked confused. Surely he understood why she felt the way she did. She'd jumped into his bed like a common whore. And now how could he ever see her as anything else? "I'm sorry I screwed this up," she said quickly, trying to hide the way her voice cracked, and turned quickly to rush to the bathroom where she locked the door and slid down it to sit on the tiled floor and cry.

Hercule stared after her, finding himself looking at his own bathroom door shut on him. His mind was still trying to wrap around how quickly things had gone from great to worse. The only thing that he could think of that had happened was that they must have moved too fast and he cursed himself for thinking with the head between his legs and he kicked off the covers and quickly redressed with some pants before he walked over to the door. He could hear quiet sobs coming through the wood and he felt his heart ache as he moved to sit down in front of it. He couldn't begin to presume that he knew what was going on in her head. "Hey," he said softly, "what about that discussion we just had about being honest with each other?"

Chichi leaned her head back against the door as the tears poured from her eyes. What was there to be honest about? She was honest; she had screwed up. Big time. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing left to say. She wiped at her face and sniffled, trying to stop her nose from running, but it was no use. She couldn't stop crying. She felt so used, so dirty, just so wrong. She slid her hands into her hair and grabbed her head, leaning her elbows on her knees. Oh she hated herself in that moment for being so weak. "What do you want me to say?" she asked, her voice a cracking squeak that made her cringe.

Hercule felt his heart break at how broken her voice sounded. He spoke gently through the door, "I want to know why you are crying on the floor after what I thought had been a good morning. Did I hurt you, Chichi? I never meant to hurt you. Gods, it's the last thing I want. Please. Please forgive me."

Chichi rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "It's not you, you big lug!" she cried. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed again. "It's me! I let you, I mean, I let myself be with you like that so quickly. And… and I enjoyed it. I'm just like all those other women out there. I feel like a whore. I am a whore."

Hercule blinked a moment, his eyes widening. "Wait, what?" He reached up and tried the handle, frowning when he found it locked. "What do you mean you are a whore? Just because you let yourself enjoy sex for once? Chichi, that doesn't make you a whore. That makes you human," he insisted. He was going to murder that Maxwell guy for putting it into her head. "Come on, open up. Let's talk."

Chichi bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling again for a moment. She didn't know if she could face him now. Still, she couldn't hide in the bathroom forever. She got to her feet and drew a breath before she reached for the handle and unlocked the door. Her chin trembled when she saw him sitting on the floor and she took a step back, hugging her arms around herself. "I don't know what there is to talk about," she said sadly.

Hercule reached up, gently tugging her down to sit next to him on the floor. He tilted his head at her as he looked at the way she shied from him. "But there is. You are acting like this for a reason, you feel like this because something, someone has told you that enjoying yourself is a terrible act, that you're a whore if you actually let yourself have fun. Did Maxwell tell you that?"

She shook her head and folded her arms tighter across herself. "No, it wasn't him," she answered. She stared miserably at the floor, wanting nothing more than to just go hide herself away. "It's the way I was raised. I was always taught that sex was only for having children or for satisfying a husband. Sex outside of marriage is wrong. Women who enjoy it are sluts. And I don't want to be like them," she muttered, covering her face again as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

Hercule nodded as she spoke. "I think my wife was the same way, but someone broke her and there was only so much I could do to pick up the pieces," he said as he leaned back to look at her. "There's nothing wrong with two people enjoying each other's company. Yes, commitment to a person is nice, saving yourself, but then you don't really get to explore, to get comfortable in your own skin. You think that it's wrong because you ended up waiting and thinking that the entire act is dirty and even after you saved yourself, when everything is supposed to be perfect, it still feels wrong."

"Because it IS wrong," she insisted. "I gave in to temptation. I let myself do this because I feel something for you that I haven't felt before. You make me feel safe and hopeful. Like maybe one day my life could be normal. But it's never going to be. Because I can't do anything right, I keep making the worst decisions about everything. Everything I do just comes back to bite me. And this," she paused and shook her head, "I'll pay for this. God, I feel horrible." She bowed her head again as more tears slipped out. "What we just did goes against everything I was taught. My morals, my values. I'm going to Hell."

Hercule reached out, cupping her chin and lifting her face so he could see her better. He swiped his thumb across her cheek. "How can something that feels so right be wrong? Are you saying that it's right for you to be beaten and abused sexually by a husband who doesn't appreciate you? And the consensual lovemaking we just spent all morning taking our time to do is wrong?"

She nodded her head slowly. "Yes," she answered, loathing herself for her answer. "Because he's still my husband. I just committed adultery. I spent years hating him for sleeping with other women and now here I am, just out of his house for a few days, and what do I do? The same thing he's done all these years. I'm no better than he is." She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand. "And here I thought I was going to change myself, to make myself a better person. What a joke."

"You know, marriage should be between two people who consent. An unspoken bond between them that the court papers can't even touch. That's just a formality really. The commitment, the promise is between the two of you. It sounds like he broke that long ago. Who cares what some little piece of paper says? No. You didn't commit adultery. He did. You were just finally standing up for yourself, taking something you wanted for a change."

She sniffled again and leaned into his touch. Her eyes watered as she looked into his, wanting so badly to believe what he said. "But women aren't supposed to enjoy sex," she said quietly. "Women who do… well… they're looked down on, aren't they?" She looked at her hands again, picking at her nails. "My mother always told me that. That men would view me as a whore, that I'd have no value if I let myself be like that. Sex outside of marriage is a sin." She could remember her mother's stiff views of the world, how everything was black and white. She expected perfection. And she never hesitated to remind Chichi of it and how she fell short.

Hercule tilted his head at that. "If women weren't supposed to enjoy sex, then what we just did was impossible. You are a cut above the rest, Chichi. How can it be right for your husband to have sex with other women and not you with other men?" He sighed and moved to lean back against the wall, tugging Chichi into his lap. He rested her head on his shoulder and leaned his cheek against her hair. "We haven't been stricken from this earth yet. I imagine if that were going to happen, it would have already. You are amazing, you know? You need to see that in yourself, to be okay with this on your own instead of what someone else tells you to feel."

Chichi felt her lips tremble as she looked up at him. "Do you really mean that?" she whispered as she searched his eyes, looking for some sign that he was lying to her. He wasn't. "I don't want you to think of me like that. I don't want you to see me as one of those other women who try to get into your bed. I'm not like that. I don't see you for your money or your fame. I see you. Just you. I just want to be here with you. I… I don't want you to think poorly of me."

Hercule smiled at her and brushed the tears off of her cheek. "I don't. You are above and beyond any of those women who would try to get into my bed just for their fifteen minutes of fame. They show up here, all puffed up from Botox injections, wearing things that could barely be called clothing. They are fake. I've been waiting a while for someone like you, Chichi."

She smiled softly and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she whispered. She felt relieved to hear him say it. "I'm sorry I'm so insecure. Everything here is so different with you. I don't know what to think of it or how to react to it. I feel like everything I know is being questioned right now. My relationship with you, this new friendship with Madeline, all of it is so strange to me."

Hercule nodded. "I can imagine so. Don't you worry about a thing though, if you need to slow down, just tell me and we can back off . If you ever feel uncomfortable, you need to tell me immediately. Just because I'm in the mood for something doesn't mean you have to stay quiet and suffer through it. If you don't feel like doing something, just say so, okay?" he asked as he rubbed at her shoulder, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her head. "I imagine this is going to take a while for you to get used to, so we will have to see about making this a regular thing," he teased. "For now, how about a long soak in the Jacuzzi that just so happens to be in my bathroom here?"

Hercule couldn't keep the smile off his face as he stripped off his pants and carefully untied the robe she was wearing to slip it off of her shoulders so she was bare. He then lifted Chichi up, bridal style in his arms and took them into his bathroom, chuckling at her weak protest that she was naked and he just shook his head, setting her down on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub set into the floor of his bathroom.

He walked over to a simple wooden cabinet nearby and opened it up, inspecting the jars inside before selecting three. He came back over to the water, sitting down beside Chichi, sighing as he let his legs dangle in the water, not even blushing as he had to adjust himself. He carefully tipped each of the jars, spilling a little bit of the liquid inside into the water. At her curious look he laughed, "I'm not big on perfumes at all. Too girly, but this is rose and sandalwood and should be relaxing, just what you need." He tipped over the bottle and switched on the jets, and they watched as foam bubbles sprung to life and the scent rose around them.

He grinned, "Instant bubble bath." He moved, sliding into the hot water, sighing happily and grinned up at the dark haired woman. By the gods she was gorgeous. He wondered what she would say if he pulled her into his lap and just slid into her hot sheath. His body responded in kind, perking up at the idea. He wanted her to be comfortable first, trying not to take it too fast. He wanted something to eat too, just relax for a while.

Chichi watched him for a minute as he leaned back against the side of the tub and smiled at her. She managed a smile back, tucking a piece of her long black hair behind her ear, feeling a blush across her cheeks again. The water smelled heavenly and felt good on her feet and shins as she perched on the side of the tub. She'd never bathed with anyone before. Goku had always invited her, but she'd never been able to do it. She was always ashamed of nudity, of revealing her body. Now that she thought on it, she wasn't entirely sure her first husband had ever really seen her naked in any kind of light. But Hercule didn't seem to mind the sight of her like this. Chichi swallowed and asked, "May I join you?" She smiled at his nod and lowered herself into the water and moved to sit between his legs, letting him pull her back to recline against his chest. Oh... sheer bliss. The hot water swirling around her, the feel of his strong body pressed against her back. She sighed contentedly again. She could die happy if she could just spend a day like this.

He leaned down, nibbling at her shoulder. It had been a long time since he had done this. Shared a bath with anyone. It was usually just a shower and then straight off to bed. He could feel himself hardening as her soft curves pressed up against him just right. He blushed. "Sorry, it's been a while. It'll go away." He carefully gathered some suds, moving to wash her back, sliding his hands over her slick skin, rubbing at the knots of tension he found in her upper back. He smiled content with himself, "I know it's hardly breakfast, but how about some wine? Maybe one of those fancy dancy fruit trays?"

Chichi let out a soft moan as Hercule's strong hands rubbed at the space between her shoulder blades. She could feel his huge length pressing up against her lower back and she was grateful that her back was to him because the blush on her face was growing redder. Wine? For breakfast? Oh why the hell not. She'd already done things this morning she swore she'd never do. And the fruit did sound nice. She didn't want to end their bath to go to breakfast, though. She was just starting to relax. "Anything you want," she sighed happily. "That does sound lovely."

He smiled widely and looked around behind him, reaching for the phone, groaning as his length rubbed against her back. Oh gods, that problem was not going to go away on its own any time soon but he wanted Chichi to rest. She did so well taking him earlier, so many times over as they had pleasured each other.

Hercule pressed the number for the kitchens, placing his order. "Yeah, my bedroom. Actually could you have it brought to the bath? Awesome, you guys are the best!" He ended the call and scooted the phone away and settled back down, moving to cradle Chichi against him. He ran his fingers through her hair as he stared up at the ceiling, his eyes falling half closed. This had to be some sort of heaven. "It's nice. I finally get to share this crazy house with someone. It's not so empty anymore." He smiled down at her, loving the way she fit against him. "Gods you are beautiful," he breathed.

Chichi blinked and turned to look at him. "You're having the food brought in here?" she asked, her face burning. Oh gods. Well, she supposed she could slip under the water and hide beneath the bubbles until whoever brought the food left the room. She wondered how long she could hold her breath. A shy smile pulled at her lips when he called her beautiful. "You really think so?" she asked as she leaned against his chest again, turning her face to press her cheek to his skin. She'd never thought of herself as beautiful and had always tried to hide behind her makeup. But something about being with Hercule made her FEEL beautiful. She blinked at the realization. She'd never felt that way before. "You're amazing," she murmured.

Hercule let out a laugh, loud and deep, "Careful! My egos big enough as it is without the lovely lady feeding me compliments." He smiled down at her, loving how her fingers twirled into his chest hair, the way she clutched at him with so much need in that simple gesture. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Relax. Sad to say, they've call caught me in, ah, less modest situations. This is nothing." He blinked and smacked his face, "Not that it's what you think just, ah, just... I'm going to shut up now." He leaned down, tilting her chin upwards to he could catch her lips with his own, moaning softly against her. He pulled back when he heard a knock on the door. "It's open!"

Madeline came in carrying a large tray of assorted sliced fruits. There was a dip in the center made of simple sugar and cream. She sat that within arm's reach of Hercule before she turned around and went outside, coming back a moment later with the bottle of wine in an ice bucket and two glasses. She smiled brightly at Chichi, almost feeling bad at how red the woman's face was, but she winked at her, watching her relax some more before she turned and walked out, closing the door behind her carefully.

Chichi was grateful for the thick foam of bubbles that floated around her shoulders. At least it was Madeline, though now she suspected that she and Ryan would really have something to gossip about. But she hadn't looked harsh or judgmental when she came in.

Chichi turned herself between Hercule's legs, draping her legs over his thigh, the side of her hip resting against his still hard length. She wondered how he was keeping himself so composed when he was like this. Surely that had to be uncomfortable. "I'm not going to stop complimenting you," she stated matter-of-factly. "Especially when it's the truth." She leaned forward and picked up a piece of fruit, popping it in her mouth, nearly moaning at the taste. She hadn't realized how hungry she was and reached for a second piece. She caught the way he was looking at her and she blushed, bringing the fruit up to his lips, placing the slice on his tongue as his mouth opened, her fingers dragging lightly over his bottom lip as she withdrew her hand.

Hercule couldn't stop the shudder that worked through his body as she shifted on his hips, brushing up against his length, his cock twitching at the contact. The moan that escaped her mouth as those pink lips wrapped around the fruit. The sweet decadence on his tongue as she held the fruit for him, her fingers scraping against his bottom lip. "Chichi," he purred, "If you don't stop that, I'm not going to be able to resist you for much longer. I'm trying to give you a resting period, Little Lady!" He swallowed thickly as she shifted again. He knew exactly how he would take her too. He wound turn her around and lower her onto his cock, cupping those amazing breasts with his hands. He gave a whimper as he felt precum escape the tip of his hardness.

She draped one arm around his neck, the other cupping his cheek, turning his face towards her. She didn't know why she suddenly felt so bold, but Hercule gave her a sense of safety and confidence she had never known. "Maybe I don't want to rest," she said in a sultry voice and pressed her lips to his, tilting her head just a bit, sliding her tongue into his mouth. She moaned at the taste of the fruit upon his tongue and she shifted her weight, rubbing her hip up and down on his shaft. She shivered as his strong arms wrapped around her again. She broke the kiss and whispered, "I promise I won't freak out on you this time."

Hercule shivered though the water was kept at the constant hot temperature, he grinned at her leaning down as he grasped her hips. "Good." He turned her around until her back was pressed up against his chest. With one hand he held her up and the other disappeared down beneath the water, grasping his cock to hold it steady as he lowered her on it. He groaned out as that slick center of hers caressed his broad tip before he let gravity have its way and let her slide down, inch by agonizing inch. It was sheer bliss. He chuckled, remembering why he liked this position. He let one hand come up, cupping her breast, teasing the pert nipple, rolling it between his fingers. He leaned down, suckling her neck, his other hand going between their legs where they were joined, closing over her clit, pinching and rubbing it at a torturous pace.

Chichi's eyes went wide and she let out a long gasp as his body slid into hers. This position was new to her - everything was so new and exciting. It didn't hurt as much this time when he entered her, although he still felt impossibly huge inside her. His hot mouth on her neck sent shivers down her spine as his hands teased her body. She experimentally rocked her hips, crying out as she felt his cock shifting within her. Ohhhhh that felt good. She did it again and again, unable to stop herself as the pleasure began to build and grow.

Oh, what had she become? She didn't care anymore. She didn't care what anyone thought about her, as long as Hercule cared for her. He was all that mattered now. She turned her face to look at him over her shoulder as she rocked back onto his cock, trying to gauge his facial expression, to see if she was pleasing him.

Hercule couldn't stop moaning. The pleasure, the sheer tight heat of her body, the way she started rocking on him, as if she couldn't get enough. He moaned, panted, when he saw her twist her neck to look at him. He pounced, pulling her back up against him, cupping her neck and jaw as he captured her lips in a searing kiss. Her name was a mantra on his lips as he rocked into her as she fucked herself on his cock. "Chichi!" he cried out, feeling her body clenching around him more. "Oh by the gods." He could already feel himself swelling up. He buried himself deeply into her body, and again and again. Finally he grabbed her hips and used that for a better anchor as he slammed home, crying from the sheer pleasure. "Can I come inside of you?" he breathed.

Chichi screamed out as he pulled her down harshly over his cock. "Yes," she cried out, gasping and moaning with every breath. This was much more forceful than he had been in the bed with her, but she was enjoying it. The way he was using her body for his pleasure, but making sure she was pleasured in return. She thought about testing him, asking him to stop just to make sure that he would if she asked, but in her heart she knew that he would. He would never hurt her on purpose. The thought made her swell with even more affection for him and she raised herself up a bit before she brought herself back down forcefully, listening to him cry out.

She grabbed his hands, tangling his fingers into her own, removing them from her hips. She held his hands in the water, bouncing herself on his huge cock, crying out her pleasure. She was in control for once, and it was exhilarating. There was something intimate about holding his hands as she pleasured him. Her body began to tense and shake, the orgasm washing over her as she continued to slam herself home on his cock over and over, screaming out his name again.

Hercule's eyes rolled back in his head as Chichi took over, holding her hands like this, the way her head fell back on his shoulder as she bounced obscenely over his rock hard cock. "Oh Chichi," he moaned, "I'm coming, I'm coming!" He loudly moaned again as he felt his cock swell deeply within her as he thrust his hips up into her, thick ropes of cum painting her insides. "Yes, yes, yes!" he sobbed, still coming. Oh gods that was the hottest thing ever.

Chichi rode him through his orgasm, slowing only when she heard his cries soften to deep breaths and his length began to soften. She settled in his lap, still holding his hands tightly and rested the side of her forehead on his collarbone. She pulled his arms around her, snuggling into him. "Oh Mark," she whispered, her eyes falling closed for a moment as she just enjoyed being held by him, still holding him within her own body. She never wanted to leave this place. "Can we just hide in here forever?" she asked, a slight laugh in her voice.

He chuckled, carefully lifting her off of his cock, the evidence of their joining disappearing into the swirling water. He sat her down in his lap, reclining back against the side of the tub, just holding her for a second at he peered down at her against his chest. "You know, that sounds like a great idea. Except I don't look all that great when I'm pruny," he chuckled. "But I think we're good if we spend a few more hours like this."

He looked at her mischievously, "I'm certainly not done with you yet. You haven't done this nearly enough, have you? We've got years to catch you up on." He really couldn't wait to see what else they could get into. He shivered at the though and reached over to grab up the bottle of wine and poured two healthy glasses, offering her one before he settled back with his own. "Anything you want to try, Little Lady?"

The heat of the moment was ebbing away and Chichi felt herself blushing as she accepted the glass of wine from him. "Um... no..." she said timidly. "Just, whatever you want, I suppose." She was embarrassed to say that she didn't know any other positions, that she'd never tried anything like what they'd just done. There were only two positions she'd ever known - missionary with man on top, and her on her knees trying not to gag as Maxwell pulled her face over his cock. She shuddered at that memory and prayed Hercule wouldn't do the same to her. She felt foolish in that moment. She should know these things, shouldn't she? Of course, her mother had always acted like sex was something dirty and disgusting, necessary only for reproduction, and anyone who did it for pleasure was nothing more than a filthy whore. She closed her eyes for a moment, shuddering, thinking about how she'd tried to instill those same ideas into her own family. "I... I don't... I mean, I've never..." she stammered before she drew a deep breath and blurted, "I've only ever had missionary sex! I don't know ANYTHING else." She blushed again and hid her face for a moment, before looking away from him and drinking deeply from her wine glass.

Hercule blinked at her a moment, realizing she was very serious. He tilted his head until he caught her eye, giving her a smile. "Well then, Little Lady, you'll have to let me show you a few things. If that's alright?" He smiled at her, drawing her close, tucking her into his arms. He set his wine glass aside and pulled the tray of fruit closer, picking up a slice of honeydew and offering the sweet fruit to her lips. He wondered if she would let him slide the cool fruit into her burning hot core and then let him just devour her until it drove her mad with pleaser. Gods, he wanted to cherish her, to show her such things. He smiled, happy and content at the moment to share the peace with her.

She let him slide the piece of fruit past her lips, letting out a soft moan at the fresh, sweet flavor. She chewed slowly, leaning back against him, looking up at the ceiling for a moment. This was nice, just resting together in the hot water, the only sound in the room the low, gentle humming of the tub jets. She picked up another piece of fruit and offered it to him over her shoulder, smiling as his lips brushed her fingertips. "I'm sorry, Hercule," she said softly. "You must think I'm such a prude."

Hercule accepted the fruit, chewing thoughtfully before he swallowed. "Now why would I think that?" He leaned back, picking up his wine glass and sighing happily. "I understand more now that we've talked about it. Just means we have more things to try to see what you like and what you don't. Just be sure to speak up if it's something you don't. I don't want to hurt you or make you uncomfortable."

She smiled and turned around in his lap, straddling his thighs. She ran her fingers through his hair, staring deeply into his sparkling blue eyes. She could get lost in those eyes. "Thank you for being patient with me," she said as she leaned forward, her hands on his chest and pressed her lips to his again. What was wrong with her? She wanted him again as if she was some horny teenager who didn't know how to control her hormones. She could taste the fruit and the wine on his breath as she kissed him, letting her fingers run through the hair on his chest, her nails lightly dragging over his nipples. She pressed her chest against his, moaning lightly into the kiss.

He kissed her back in earnest. Good gods, she was surely going to be the death of him. Had she really had been denied pleasurable sex for so long? He wondered what horrors her soon to be ex-husband forced upon her. And this, it was as if this morning had opened a floodgate, one that could only be closed once she was thoroughly sated and worn out. He smirked, breaking the kiss to speak hotly into her ear, "I keep thinking about how good this fruit would taste inside you, covered with that delicious nectar of you. Mmm, can't you just imagine? This chilled fruit sliding into you, filling you. "

Chichi gasped and shivered. "Oh my. Yessssss," she purred in his ear. She kissed at his neck, opening her mouth to suck at it. She squirmed in his arms, pressing her body to his, thinking about all the things he was about to do to her. "Teach me, Hercule. Show me how to make you happy. All I want is to please you, to learn what you like so I can keep you satisfied." She nipped at his ear, sucking on it for just a moment. "Tell me what to do," she whispered.

Hercule smiled against her, turning them and lifting her up so she sat on the edge of the tub. The air had long since become thick with steam from their bath; he hoped she wouldn't be too cold. He scooted her closer to the edge of the tub, kneeling between her legs until she sat on the very edge, her legs draped over his shoulders. "First Little Lady, this is about your pleasure, not just mine. Your pleasure is mine, but that goes without saying," he said, his smirk making his mustache turn upwards at the edges. He carefully parted her legs, noting how red her face became as he stared at her unabashedly, looking at the glistening core hidden within. By the gods, she was already dripping again. He looked up at her as he reached over to grab the fruit tray, looking over the selection he grinned as he picked up the bowl of strawberries. He picked up one and dipped it into the cream and held it up to her lip., "Taste this, isn't it delicious?" He watched, her perfect white teeth biting into it, the moan resounding from her mouth making him harden again. He prepared another strawberry, his pulse pounding at he moved it between her legs, loving that she was watching as he used one hand to part her glistening folds and the other to tease the fruit over her entrance before he carefully pushed it in with one finger until it disappeared completely into her.

Chichi whimpered as the cold fruit slid into her hot core, a chill shooting up her back, making her shiver. Oh, what was he doing to her? Her face was on fire again as he seemed to watch in fascination as her body swallowed up the fruit and his finger all at the same time. She reached for her wine glass again, taking a big drink. Oh, if he kept her flustered like this, she was going to become an alcoholic by the end of the day. She didn't know what to think, what to expect. Her knees were hooked over his shoulders as he withdrew his finger and he locked eyes with her and sucked his finger for a moment. She had to look away, her blush singeing her cheeks. She was so insecure in that moment, yet hot and bothered and excited all at the same time. "M-Mark!" she whined, tangling her fingers in his hair.

He grinned at her as he reached for another, loving the sound of his name on her lips. "Yes, Chichi?" he asked casually, paying attention to the fruit as if he was talking about the weather or something other than the intimate act they were doing. He moaned, loving her fingers in his hair. "You can tug all you like, baby." He smirked as he went down again, smearing the cream outside of her folds before pushing the second strawberry in. He followed after it, using his tongue to push it in all the way, licking the cream from her before he withdrew, winking at her. "You taste delicious." He licked his lips. "I wonder how many you can take."

She couldn't stand how he was so calm and casual while she was coming apart at the seams. She was trembling on the side of the tub, one hand tangled in his curls, the other gripping the edge of the bath, her legs shaking. She blushed even harder as he told her how much he enjoyed the taste of her. Oh, she didn't know what to think. She didn't understand how her body could taste good to him. "As many as you want me to," she gasped.

Her words inflamed him and he couldn't stop the shudder that worked its way through his body. He grabbed another strawberry, taking his time, running the tip along her folds and circled it around her hard clitoris before he dipped it into her body as he watched her core accept another, and another, and another. He grinned up at her as he carefully poked at her lower belly, feeling the berries within her. "How are you doing, beautiful? I don't know about you but I am famished," he said, his hard length twitching between his legs. He looked at her, he could see the last berry he inserted quivering within her, she was so very near full. He wanted that. He leaned down to bury his nose into her curls, smelling spice and strawberries before he looked at her with his eyes, the blush on her face. "You want more or are you on the edge?" He stuck out his tongue, lapping at her clit.

Chichi keened as his tongue flicked over her clit. "No more," she begged. She was so full, her face burning, loving and hating it all at the same time. She'd never in her wildest dreams thought about doing something like this. She was wiggling on the edge of the tub; she could feel the berries shifting inside her, her essence starting to trickle out of her. Oh gods. She whimpered again, wanting him, wanting to please him. His tongue was still lightly flicking over her, making her heart race and her body start to sweat in the steam-filled room. He said he was still famished? In a sudden rush of boldness, she pulled on his hair, her legs pulling his shoulders forward, his face meeting her body. "Eat."

Hercule felt a rush of pleasure as she took charge, smiling against her body he looked up at her, his blue eyes meeting her dark ones. "Yes, ma'am," he said, letting his eyes stay locked on hers as his mouth sealed over her sweet core, suckling on the juices he found there mixed with the strawberries. It was the most amazing thing he had ever tasted. There was something about this. He just loved doing this for woman and what wasn't to love? He used his teeth, nibbling around the sensitive and swollen flesh before he sucked a little harder, drawing a strawberry into his mouth. He moaned loudly at the taste, watching her eyes as he chewed. Her spicy essence made his mouth water as he swallowed, wanting more. He grinned as he dipped back down laving at her with his tongue, dipping inside of her, searching for the next one, moaning as he found it and ate it as well, but holding it in his mouth as he moved up and kissed her hard, sharing her taste with herself. He smirked as he pulled back. "Some of those are really far in there. You're going to have to squeeze them out."

Chichi scrunched up her face as he kissed her, she was certain the taste was going to be horrible. She couldn't imagine it being pleasant but, "Mmmmm," she sighed into his kiss. The strawberries were sweet and they were mixed with a completely unique taste she couldn't quite describe. She gasped out as he went down on her again, his teeth scraping at her body. "Sq- Squeeze?" she asked, panting hard again. "O-o-okay." She clenched her muscles a bit, feeling the berries moving, making her squirm even more.

Hercule felt like he could come right then and there without her even touching him. This was too hot. Too wonderful. He ate the last berry as she pushed it out into his waiting mouth. He lapped at her with his tongue, delving in deep to drink the sweet cream still flowing out mixed with her own nectar. He moaned into her, drinking her down before he latched onto her clit, sucking, flicking it with his tongue, working it between his teeth as he pressed two fingers into her heat.

Chichi's hand on the tub slipped she was shaking so hard, and grabbed onto his hair to steady herself. Her eyes rolled in her head, her sharp cries echoing off the tile walls. "Hercule!" she cried breathlessly. "I'm... I'm so close..." His mouth felt impossibly hot on her, his fingers working in and out of her body as she clenched down on them. "Keep going," she gasped. "Please! Keep going." Her whole body tensed around his face and shoulders as her orgasm hit hard, her nerves on fire again as he mercilessly sucked her clit, sliding his fingers rapidly in and out of her core.

Hercule drank her down, sucking every last drop from her until her spasms stopped and she fell against him, boneless. "Good girl," he breathed, gathering her in his arms and let her sink into the heat of the tub once more, letting her relax. "You are so beautiful, Chichi. By the gods that was amazing." He settled down in the tub, pulling her into his lap and cradling against him, sighing happily.

She was panting, her shoulders rising and falling harshly as he held her. "YOU are amazing," she said. Her head was reeling again. How did he get any pleasure from that? She didn't understand it. When she'd been made to service Maxwell, she never enjoyed it. She got no pleasure from it at all, it made her jaw hurt and she constantly felt like she was going to gag. She hated the taste of him so much that she'd get sick afterwards. She wondered if Hercule really enjoyed that or if he was just doing it to please her. She had to know. "Mark, do you really, I mean HONESTLY enjoy doing that?" she asked in disbelief. "I mean, I just I don't understand how you could like doing it."

It was his turn to blush and he rubbed the back of his head, looking down at her, smiling. "Well, yeah! I think it's my favorite thing to do for a woman. You taste amazing, Chichi." He smiled as he tilted her head up, looking into her eyes, wide and innocent. He didn't know what it was about her, but he loved making her blush, loved rocking her to her core so much. "If only you could taste yourself." He sighed happily, "So ah, you know, if you wake up in the morning and I'm down there. Don't kick me in the head."

Chichi's eyes went wide and her hands flew to her cheeks. "Oh my!" she giggled, the thought making her blush again but exciting her at the same time. "Do," she swallowed nervously, letting her hands sink back into the water as she looked at him. "Do you want me to do that for you?" she asked. She wanted to pleasure him, but oh how she'd always hated it before. But, then again, she'd never enjoyed sex at all before, and it was different with Hercule. She could do it for him.

Hercule smiled at her, leaning in and pressing a tender kiss to her lips, pulling back only slightly, their noses rubbing together. "Yes, but only if you want to. I think I could get off just watching you reach that ecstasy. I don't want you to do anything you don't feel up for. It's a bit of an art, if I say so myself. It can be unpleasant if you force it."

Chichi trailed her hand down his chest, over his abs, finding his hard length in the water. She wrapped her hand around it as best she could, still not able to completely close her hand around it. Oh gods, how would she ever be able to get her mouth over him? She felt him twitch in her hand and she experimentally swirled her thumb around the tip. "I want to try. Just," she looked up at him with worry in her eyes, "just don't pull my hair, okay?"

Hercule looked down at her, seeing the worry, the fear in her eyes. He nodded but reached down and took her hand in his, standing them both up. "If you want to try, I won't stop you, but not here. Not if you've never done this properly before. I don't want you mistiming anything and drown in the water." He leaned down to scoop her up in his arms and paused to grab some towels before he headed back out into his bedroom. He set Chichi down on her feet and handed her the towels. "Here, dry off, I'll get the wine and the fruit." He disappeared for a moment, reappearing quickly and he looked around. For the first time, the bed would probably be the most comfortable. He didn't want to scare her off from this. He set the food on the table next to the bed and climbed on top, sinking back into the pillows, reaching out for her with his hand, carefully pulling her to him and ravishing her mouth with his in a fierce kiss. "Just take it slow and if you don't like it, you don't have to do it."

Chichi nodded and crawled down his body, her hair trailing over him as she moved. She liked that her hair was so dark and thick; she let it hang like a curtain over her face as she hovered a mere inch above his hard cock. "Wow," she breathed, looking at it so close up. The flesh was hard and red, twitching slightly as she grasped the base of it in her hand. She drew a deep breath, calming her nerves and began to stroke him with her hand, just like he'd taught her to do earlier. She carefully touched her tongue to the head, feeling the heat of him, tasting his skin. "Mmmmmm," she moaned and closed her lips over the tip, her hand still sliding over the hot steel of his cock.

Hercule had to restrain himself from bucking up into that impossibly hot mouth. His eyes focused on her, sad that her hair was in the way but she had to do this at her own pace and he would respect that. He tried to keep his hips against the bed, moaning appreciatively as her tongue swiped over his skin, teasing at the slit at the top. Oh by the gods yesssss. He had to fist his hands in the bed sheets to keep from grabbing her hair. "Harder... you can... oooh!" He shuddered. "You can bite a little if you want."

Chichi jumped and stared up at him, her hair flipping over her shoulder. "You want me to bite you?!" she gasped. She blinked at his nod, the blush on his face as he panted, his body rigid on the bed as if he was struggling very hard against himself. She lowered her face, licking at the head again, swirling her tongue around it, her pulse pounding in her ears. Well, if that's what he really wanted. She drew her tongue wetly up his cock, stroking at the base of it with her hand, and began to nip at the head, carefully watching his reaction.

Hercule's hips thrust upward. "OH BY THE GODS." Holy fuck that was just right. Just perfect. "YESSS Chichi! More! Please! More!" He bit his lip so hard he could taste blood, his hands clenched in the bed sheets so tightly his knuckles were turning white. He looked down at her, relieved to see her face. His length hardened further when he saw those pink lips wrapped around him so perfectly. "Gods you are beautiful like this."

A small smile pulled at her lips. She was having fun watching him like this. He didn't grab her head and force himself into her mouth, didn't slam his hips against her face. He just laid back and enjoyed the pleasure she gave him. She let her lips play along his cock, the shaft hot against her lips, and wrapped her mouth around the underside of his shaft, sucking it just above where her hand held him. She pressed her teeth into the hard flesh, flicking her tongue rapidly over it and began to move back up his length.

Hercule felt himself quickly approaching his orgasm. After watching Chichi, eating from her, he hadn't been far to begin with. But this? This was absolute torture. She looked content, happy that he hadn't grabbed her so his hands and hips stayed put, letting her run the show. He had a pretty good idea of what Maxwell did to her so he made sure he didn't do the same.

Chichi paused as she saw a thick bead of cum forming at the tip of his cock. She wondered what he tasted like. She'd never liked the taste of come before. Cautiously, she touched the tip of her tongue to it, tasting it. It was sweeter than she expected, an undertone of saltiness. It... it was delicious. She wanted more and went after him with a new enthusiasm, stretching her mouth as wide as it would go, finally drawing the whole head into her mouth, suckling him fiercely as her hands gripped the hot shaft, squeezing and stroking him, trying to milk more of that cum into her eager mouth. She moaned wantonly over him, her core starting to get wet again, aching for him once more.

Hercule slapped a hand over his mouth to stifle the cries coming from him as she assaulted him with a renewed vigor. Watching her taste him, the way her eyes widened, how her cheeks flushed. Oh by the gods. It was heaven the way she stretched around him, her hands taking up space for what her mouth could not cover. He shuddered at the sight. "Chichi," he purred, "You are doing amazing." He sighed, biting his lip as she sucked harder, "When I come... can I... may I come in your mouth?"

She pulled away from his cock, breathing her answer over him, "PLEASE." She forced her mouth over him, aware of the way her teeth caught on the ridge of his head, but he'd seemed to enjoy it when she bit him, so she didn't worry about it too much. She felt more precum drip onto her tongue and she thirstily swallowed it down, absolutely loving the flavor of him. Gods, he smelled heavenly. She squeezed him a bit harder, pumping her hands over his cock faster, wanting to push him over that edge, to feel the hot cum splash over her tongue, the flavor to burst in her mouth. She moaned obscenely over him, biting down and giving him one impossibly long, hard suck.

Hercule's vision went white as he came, unable to stop from bucking up into her mouth, panting and moaning as if his life depended on it. He felt himself swell in her tight mouth, hot and waiting. He spilled his hot essence over her tongue, down her throat, and still she sucked harder. He cried out at the sheer pleasure of it all, her name becoming a prayer on his lips as he spent himself. When he could no longer support himself, he fell to the bed lost in the sheer bliss.

Chichi's eyes fluttered closed as the delicious liquid poured into her mouth. She swallowed again and again until he was panting on the bed. She drew her hands up his length firmly, squeezing every last drop out onto her tongue. She finally let him slip from her mouth with a loud pop and laid down on the bed next to his leg, resting the side of her face on his thigh. She looked up at him, her eyes questioning as she trailed her nails lightly up and down the inside of his thigh. "Did I do it right?"

Hercule gathered what strength he had left to give her a skeptical look. She had to be joking, right? The humor missing from her face surprised him. She was really asking him. He gave her a smile and reached down to tug her upwards, snagging the bed sheets with his free hand to cover them both before he enveloped her in his arms. "You didn't do alright. You did amazing. That, hands down, has to be the best I've ever had. Honestly and truly." He was serious too.

She snuggled into his arms, feeling safe and at peace. This is what she'd been missing all her life. Someone she felt comfortable with, who she truly cared about, who she hadn't tricked and guilted into being with her. "Where have you been all my life?" she whispered. She pressed a kiss to his chest, catching his nipple in her lips. Gods, she wanted him again already. She cuddled up against his side a bit more, staring up at his gorgeous eyes. "You're so handsome," she breathed. "I'm sorry I want you so much. You must think I'm... I just don't want you to think poorly of me... I've never felt like this before."

He grinned widely at her, "You ravenous little minx." He moved, pushing himself to sit against the headboard before he pulled her on top of him. "One second," he said as he grasped his spent length, his body protesting, but the look in her eyes. She needed this. She needed all that he could offer her. He firmed up, the thought that a woman wanted him this badly helped greatly. He carefully lifted her up and let her sink down on his length moaning obscenely as she did, "Oh fuck. Oh gods, you are so tight. So hot... Chichi!"

Chichi's eyes went wide at his language, the way he shouted her name. She pressed a hand over his mouth, her eyes meeting his. "Easy," she laughed lightly. Gods, he made her feel so full. His hot length speared her; she could feel it throbbing inside her. She took another shuddering breath, feeling that damned blush spreading across her nose again. She raised herself up and slammed herself home on him, stars popping before her eyes, her breasts bouncing against her chest. "OH GODS," she gasped. Fuck, that hurt and ohhhhh it felt sooooo good. She did it again and again, his long, thick cock making her ache inside. "I... can't... stop..." she panted, bouncing harshly on his cock, grabbing his hands and placing them on her waist. "Give it to me," she begged.

Hercule could only smile as she covered his mouth with her delicate hand. Reminding him to always be respectful in a lady's presence. "You are amazing," he said as he groaned, her heat engulfing him. Gods this woman made him want to come and come and come. He wanted to make sure she was pleased first and foremost. She was amazing. A goddess that needed to be worshiped. "CHICHI!" he cried out as he came, pouring his essence into her.

Chichi's eyes went wide as his hot cum filled her again, her own orgasm washing over her at the sensation. "MARK!" she cried clenching around him, her shoulders shaking. She grabbed his face, smothering his mouth with her lips, sliding her tongue against his as they rode out their orgasm together. She collapsed against his chest, completely sated. She could spend forever in his arms. "I never knew it could be like this," she whispered.

He chuckled deeply and wrapped his arms around her, still buried deeply inside her hot heat. He smiled and kissed her cheek. "It's always like this if you can find the right person to be with. Maxwell can just go find another tree to bark up, I'm keeping you." He kissed her cheek, "And any monster that thinks he can take you from me is going to be one sorry S.O.B."

Chichi felt a fluttering in her heart and she sat up, staring into his eyes, searching them. "You're keeping me?" she asked, daring to hope, feeling the excitement growing in her chest. That's exactly what she wanted. She wanted nothing more than to stay with him where she felt safe and cared for and appreciated. "You mean it? Hercule, you really mean that?"

Hercule took her chin in his hands and looked her deeply in her eyes. "Yes. I swear to you. I mean that I want you here. All day every day, not because the sex is good. It's great. But you're more than that, you know? You challenge me, give me a reason to keep fighting every day. Are you sure you want to be stuck around me? I'm loud, obnoxious, I don't play well with others and I'll bet any woman you pass on the street could tell you a thousand different lies about me in under a minute."

"I don't care about any of that," she smiled, feeling breathless. "I see the real you. I know you have to keep up an image with the rest of the world. I understand that, I really do. But with me, you're yourself. And I love the person you are. All I want is to be with you. For the first time in my life, I'm happy. And it's because of you."


	11. Lollirot

Ryan skipped happily along a sidewalk in South City, grabbing Madeline's and Chichi's hands as she drug them into a brightly lit candy shop. "You know the best part about training with Hercule all the time? I get to eat as much of this shit as I want and don't have to worry about my ass getting fat!" she exclaimed.

Chichi gave an amused snort through her nose. "Well that must be nice." She shook her head, "I used to be able to eat like that when I was younger." She nearly sighed at the memory. She missed the way she used to look when she was their age. But she had to say, her figure was coming back with the training she was doing. Not to mention the sex she was having with Hercule. That was a workout in and of itself.

"Ah, just keep training and it won't matter," Ryan grinned, picking up a long candy stick and poking Madeline's breast with it. "We could have fun with this," she teased, wagging her eyebrows.

Madeline giggled and winked at her love. "Mmm, then get a couple and we will see what we can do." She winked at Chichi, chuckling at the blush on the older woman's face,."Sorry, we get a little crazy sometimes. Ryan forgets to behave herself when she's horny." She went over and picked up a giant five pound bar of chocolate and handed it to Chichi, pausing as she moved to pick up a bag and proceeding to fill it up with various candies from the bins around the store. "Ryan, we should go to that fun store and pick up those edible panties you like so much."

Chichi's face was burning red. These girls were so open about their relationship! She still wasn't sure that she agreed with it entirely, but she had learned to keep her opinions to herself. They were her friends and she didn't want to jeopardize that. She blinked down at the huge chocolate bar in her hands. "I don't think I've ever seen so much chocolate before."

"I never behave myself," Ryan grinned. "Where's the fun in that?" She grabbed a giant lollipop and smacked Chichi's butt with it as she passed, heading for a wall of licorice whips. "We should totally do that!" she called over her shoulder to Madeline. "There's all sorts of things in that store we can get into. We should take Chichi with us. Hey Chichi, you ever been to a naughty store before?"

Chichi's eyes went even wider and she scolded, "RYAN!" Oh she would never get used to these girls. She felt like her face was on fire.

The blonde simply threw her head back and laughed. Still giggling to herself, she started grabbing up more candy, but her smile faded when she saw the stranger in the corner of the store staring at her. She stared right back at him and nearly growled when he held his gaze. "Hold these," she said to Chichi, handing the candy to her. "You got a problem, buddy?" Ryan demanded, squaring her shoulders at the stranger. Hercule had warned them about going out in public with Chichi. He insisted that Ryan go along and for her to keep an eye out for anyone who looked suspicious, even though they weren't in their own city.

"Just keeping an eye on things," the man answered darkly.

Madeline's smile dropped and turned serious. She moved carefully, just enough to put herself on the defensive, ready to run or attack at a moment's notice. She looked over at the man in the corner; Ryan knew a thing or two about sizing up an opponent. They would often get weird stares, but the way that man was looking at Ryan, at them. It was no passerby. "Chichi, be alert."

Chichi's face paled and she backed up to the counter, clinging to the armful of candy. She didn't want to see these girls get into a fight. She'd been training, but not nearly enough to feel confident yet. She silently cursed herself. She used to be scared of nothing, not even Goku or his friends, but now she found herself afraid of everyone. Damn that Maxwell. That was one thing she sorely missed about her old self. Her fearlessness. But she didn't have that confidence anymore. Maxwell had all but beaten it out of her.

The man scoffed and stuck his hands in his pockets as he took a few lazy, swaggering steps forward. "Yes, Chichi, be alert. That big, scary husband of yours could be lurking anywhere, couldn't he?" he smirked. His eyes moved slowly to Ryan as he spoke, "Who knows? He could be here, at work, at home, or hell, even playing some poker?"

Ryan felt her blood run cold at the way he said it, the piercing stare he fixed her with. "Get out!" she shouted. "Get out before I kick your ass and mop the floor with you!" Her heart raced in her chest; she could practically hear her pulse in her ears. No one knew about that. No one but Madeline.

Madeline's eyes widened and she immediately surveyed the area for Maxwell. This was bad if Chichi's husband was talking to this guy. "You piece of shit. Men think they can do anything if they have enough coin to hide behind. Real men spend their hard earned coin helping those in need instead of hiring washed up dime store thugs to do their dirty work."

"Watch your mouth, dyke," he spat at her. He looked at Chichi, narrowing his eyes. "Really? Running around with a couple of lesbos?"

Ryan saw red at the word he threw at Madeline. "NO ONE TALKS TO HER LIKE THAT!" she shouted and lunged at the man, driving her fist into his stomach.

He doubled over with an "OOF!" but grabbed her by her hair and flipped her over, slamming her through a display of jelly beans, scattering the brightly colored candies all over the floor.

"Ryan!" Chichi cried in alarm, starting forward, but the next second she was yanked back by the collar of her shirt by a second man she hadn't noticed before. She choked and reached back, scratching at his hands as she tried to free herself as her vision started to swim, her own shirt choking her.

Madeline knew Ryan was fine. She had dealt with more than her fair share of assholes, but this one, he said things. Knew things that he shouldn't. Madeline growled and grabbed up two of the five pound bars of chocolate. She dropped to her knees, sweeping her leg, knocking both Chichi and her attacker off their feet, surprising the man that had grabbed Chichi. She swung the chocolate bars at his head with all her might, the chocolate breaking over his skull. She turned back to Ryan's attacker and threw the chocolate that she had held onto at him before she reached for a jar of jaw breakers.

Chichi scrambled away from her attacker as fast as she could and got to her feet. "Call the police!" she shouted at the terrified little clerk behind the counter who nodded and grabbed the phone.

Ryan jumped back to her feet, laughing as the chocolate smacked into the man who had grabbed her hair. "Eat a dick," she spat at him and jumped in the air, spinning and landing a kick to the side of his neck, knocking him over. She dropped into a defensive pose, watching warily as he got to his feet. This man was no joke; he knew how to fight. He must've been getting paid extremely well to be going through all this trouble.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes glinting maliciously at Ryan. "You like it rough, huh?" he snarled. "You like to fight. Funny, I heard you never did put up much of a fight when you were little."

Madeline growled, "You shut your fucking mouth you sack of shit. I'm about to make these into ball breakers if you don't beat it. And I think I find a few painful places to shove them if you keep talking." She took one and drew her hand back as if she was going to throw it like a pro pitcher. She didn't like this at all. "You better scram, the police are coming." She flashed a little blinking device in her hand at him, "And so are our people. You are mad if you think you can face Hercule Satan and come out unscathed."

"Fuck the cops," the man spat. "I'll be out of jail by morning. They're all in Maxwell's pocket anyway." He threw a punch at Ryan, who was totally frozen to the spot by his words, knocking her backwards and he ran at Madeline, aiming to tackle her, but stopped when she launched the jawbreaker and it slammed into his eye. "YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he roared, clapping a hand to his face.

The second man sat up dizzily and reached out to wrap his arms around Madeline's knees, knocking her off balance.

"Get off of her!" Chichi cried and ran over, grabbing the man's hair and yanked it for all she was worth. No matter how strong her fear was, she wasn't going to let Madeline get hurt.

Ryan got to her feet and jumped into the air, hooking her knee over the back of the first man's neck and used her weight to drop him face-first to the tile floor, knocking him unconscious.

Madeline fell to the ground, the jar of jawbreakers smashing when she hit. Glass cut into her arms, blood dripped on the floor. "Okay. Now you've really pissed me off." She grabbed up a jaw breaker rolling past and twisted around in the man's grip, thanks to Chichi, and pulled back her leg. She slammed her foot into the man's crotch before she swung her hand with the jaw breaker and clocked him in the side of the face.

The man screamed out in pain before he curled in on himself, holding his hands up to show surrender.

Ryan kicked the unconscious man in the ribs for good measure, then went over to Madeline. "Maddie, baby, are you okay?" she asked, looking her girlfriend over. She frowned at the deep cuts in Madeline's arms. "Oh, honey." She cupped Madeline's face in her hand, planting soft kisses to her lips as the police finally arrived. She sneered at the men, "The cops here ain't in Maxwell's pocket are they, cocksucker? I hope Bubba makes you his bitch while you're in jail."

Both men were arrested and taken away quickly.

Ryan's eye was quickly bruising up and Madeline's arms were attended to by the paramedics who had arrived on the scene shortly after the police.

"I'm so sorry, girls," Chichi said sadly as she watched them be tended to. She felt horrible. Couldn't she even go out to the mall with a couple of friends without Maxwell hiring some goons to follow her around and cause trouble? She wanted nothing more than to get home to Hercule's mansion and just hide from the world where she knew she was safe. But Hercule wasn't even home; he was at a match that day and wouldn't be back for a couple more hours.

"Don't worry about it," Ryan muttered, although she felt rather sour about the whole thing. She grabbed up a bunch of the candy they'd originally intended to buy and placed it on the counter.

"What are you doing?" Chichi asked in surprise.

"I'm buyin' the fuckin' candy we came in here for!" Ryan spat. "I didn't go through all that shit to walk outta here empty handed." She glared at the clerk behind the counter who was blinking at her. "Don't fuckin' judge me."

Madeline looked over her bandaged hands and arms and smiled at Chichi. "Hey, don't look like that. It's good that I finally got to use the training that I have been given." She looked around at the mess. "Damn, sorry about the store." She turned and glanced outside, spying the car sent by Hercule's security team. "Our ride's here," she said as she turned and looked apologetically at the clerk. "So if those guys give you trouble forking up the money, just give us a call." She handed over a business card, "And we will take care of the damages."

The clerk nodded and looked sadly at the card in her hand. "My boss is gonna kill me," she muttered.

Ryan dumped a handful of nerds into her mouth and worked them over into her cheek. "Kick 'im in the dick and tell 'im to shut it," she spoke around the candy before grabbing up her purchases and headed out the door with Madeline and Chichi in tow.

* * *

They sat in the back of the car, Chichi barely paying attention to the drive home. There were so many questions she had; that man had spoken as if he knew something about Ryan. Did she know him? Who was he? The drive back to Hercule's home was over before Chichi knew it and they went into the house where Ryan flopped out in the middle of the living room floor, digging into the candy, a fierce look on her face as she stared at the wall.

Madeline sadly looked on at her lover and went over to her, kneeling on the carpet next to her. She rubbed her back, turning it into a massage as she sat, looking up at the ceiling. "It's him isn't it? That bastard Maxwell somehow found out. He can rot in hell."

"Yup," Ryan said, the nightmarish memories flooding her mind. It had been a very long time since she had thought about it. She ripped open one of the big chocolate bars and snapped off a piece of it with her teeth. "These motherfuckers are fuckin' with the wrong bitch," she muttered. There was a lump forming in her throat as she tried to maintain her hard-ass persona, but it was slipping as Madeline rubbed at her back. "F-Fuckers," she repeated, taking another bite of chocolate.

Chichi sat on the floor, looking sadly at them and Ryan shoved a candy bar her way. "Thanks," she said quietly, wishing she knew what to say or what to do. She didn't know what had Ryan so upset, but she could just feel the tension in the room. Chichi jumped and gave a frightened squeak when the front door opened, but relaxed as she saw Hercule enter the house, looking extremely pleased with himself.

Hercule was having a better day than most. The tournament had gone well and once again he had come out in first place. He was looking for a well-earned meal, a relaxing night in the hot tub, and maybe spending some time with Chichi. He stopped short when he saw the group in the living room, staring off, looking tense. He saw the bandages on Madeline's arms and the pile of candy Ryan was digging into as if it were the only thing in her world. Shit. She only did that, looked like that, when something got to her. He slung his gym bag off of his shoulders and walked over, frowning at the sad expressions. "So. Who do I need to kill? Madeline, are you alright?"

Madeline nodded. "Just some glass, sir, already taken away. We ran into some more thugs of Maxwell's at the candy store. He is trying to get personal. One of them knew about Ryan's stepfather."

Ryan continued to pop candy into her mouth, not looking at any of them. "We got fuckin' jumped in a goddamn candy store," she grumbled before she looked over her shoulder at her teacher. "Ain't that some shit? Fuckin' shitbags got what was comin' to 'em though. You should'a seen Maddie nail that motherfucker with a jawbreaker. That shit was epic." She felt a little better now that he was home. She always felt safe when Hercule was around because she knew no matter what, he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her or Madeline.

Chichi swallowed down the piece of candy bar she'd nibbled on. "Your stepfather?" she asked cautiously. "What does he have to do with all of this?" She hadn't wanted to voice the question in case it upset Ryan even more, but now that they were talking about it, she couldn't help but to be curious. She couldn't understand how all of this was related, how Maxwell had anything to do with someone from Ryan's family.

"Nothin'," Ryan snapped. "He ain't got shit to do with any of it." She had never really told Hercule about her past, other than a brief mention that her stepfather was a douchebag. She didn't want that past following her around and she didn't want Hercule to think less of her because of what had happened to her as a child. She wiped at an angry tear in her eye as she thought about it. She wasn't entirely sure that he would believe her. No one ever had, save for Madeline. Now that she was an adult, she knew why no one believed it. Nobody wanted to believe that such a horrid thing could be done to a child. She felt her stomach coil painfully and for a moment, she thought she might get sick.

Hercule moved to sit down on the floor next to Chichi, reaching over and breaking off a piece of chocolate before popping it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully for a moment before he looked at Ryan with a neutral face. "I've had my suspicions, but that's all they are."

Madeline rubbed Ryan's back, working on some tense knots. She had heard the story, and once was enough. It had been horrifying. "Ryan, maybe it's time to share. We all have our pasts and you don't think any less of us, do you? Maybe now is the time that you can finally lay this past to rest if it's coming back out."

Ryan shook her head. "There's no way. There's no WAY that motherfucker could've found that shit out," she spat. "I don't share that shit with anybody, Maddie, and you know it. No one ever believed me when I told them anyway. It doesn't matter now." Part of her wanted to tell them, to come clean about what had happened, to get it off her chest. And the other part of her was screaming not to say a word.

Chichi looked sympathetically at Ryan, wondering what on earth this could all be about. "Sometimes it helps to talk about stuff," Chichi said. She felt like cringing even as she said it. She still hadn't brought herself to tell Hercule about her own past. Not all of it. But what she'd done wasn't important at that moment. This was about Ryan and dealing with her demons. "We're your friends, Ryan. You can talk to us."

Ryan sat bolt upright staring at Chichi fiercely. She felt like she was shaking, she was so angry at the memories of what had happened to her. "What do you want me to say, huh? That... that my stepfather used to sneak into my bedroom at night? That he used to bet me in games of poker against his buddies? That there were times when he LOST those bets?"

Chichi cringed, her stomach coiling at the disturbing things Ryan was shouting. She couldn't imagine the horrible things those men had done to her when she was just a child. She didn't want to imagine it. It made her sick to even think about.

"Or do you want to hear about how no one believed me? Huh? Not my teachers, not my mother. Hell that crack whore accused me of seducing him!" She threw herself back down, chest-first on the floor and picked up another candy, staring sadly at the brightly colored wrapper. "Yeah, people say to talk about it, say they wanna hear it, and then they wish they didn't. I see that look on your face. No one wants to think about shit like that."

Hercule was furious, shaking. "Are you saying that you saw this creep today?!" His blood was boiling. If this man was anywhere within a thousand miles, he would go and beat the shit out of him. He was fiercely protective of his star student. He had his suspicions when Ryan had first come to him all those years ago, wanting training. Because of what he had suspected, he didn't charge her a dime for it. He had never seen such a passion before for the art. But even then, he hadn't expected it to be this bad.

Madeline shook her head. "No, but someone who looked like him. Maybe even knew him. Hush, Ryan. They are horrified because that should never ever happen to anyone. What he did to you is unforgivable."

Hercule shook his head. "Ryan, why didn't you tell me!? What if I did something to offend you? You know I would believe you. You know what work I do!"

Ryan brushed angry tears from her eyes and shrugged. "Doesn't matter," she said, her voice cracking. She glanced over at him and cringed at the expression on his face. "I told you I wanted to train under you because he was an asshole. I thought that was all you needed to know," she said quietly. "I didn't think you'd believe me. No one else ever believed me. They said I was a liar. They said I was trouble, just looking for attention." She pressed her lips thin and shook her head. "I didn't want you to think the same things about me."

Chichi felt like she couldn't breathe. What a horrible thing to happen to a child. But then she was suddenly struck with guilt once again as she thought about the things she had done to Goten when he was a little boy and she found herself hating who she was all the more. Her own skin crawled as she thought about the person she had once been.

"I didn't want anyone to know," Ryan confessed to Hercule. "Maddie's the only person I've told about it in years. I emancipated myself when I was fifteen and I've been trying to get away from it ever since."

His gaze softened and he nodded. "And that's enough for me. But if this ass is back to hurt you again, I want to be prepared and shove his own dick down his throat." He leaned forward, his elbow on his knees. "Surviving something like that doesn't make you weaker, it makes you stronger. That douchebag, Maxwell, he is going to be sorry for bringing this on you."

More tears welled in Ryan's eyes at his words and she wiped at them, streaking mascara across her face. "He's not sorry," she said. "My stepfather will never apologize and he'll never feel any guilt." She moved to lay her head in Madeline's lap, picking up another piece of candy, trying not to cry and failing miserably. She choked on a sob before she continued, "I don't understand how this Maxwell jerk-off was able to find that out. There's no record of it. Like I said, no one would listen to me." She sniffled, hating everything about the world in that moment. It was like all these old wounds that she thought were healed over and gone had suddenly been ripped open.

Chichi looked away from Ryan, feeling a lump in her own throat. "For what it's worth, Ryan, I'm sorry," she said softly. She wiped a tear from her own eye, wishing she could undo all the horrible things that had befallen her friend, wishing she could undo the things she'd done to Goten.

"Ain't yer fault," Ryan muttered and snuggled more into Madeline's lap. She didn't want to sleep that night. She knew what would happen the second she fell asleep. She would relive that past, the memories that she fought so hard to escape from. That was half the reason she was so hyper, so energetic throughout the day, working her ass off in the gym. If she could completely exhaust herself before bed, sometimes she could fall into a dreamless sleep because she was so tired. But she doubted that would work tonight.

Madeline threaded her fingers through her love's hair, feeling for her, wishing she could take away the pain she was feeling. "Damn them. Damn them all." When Ryan stayed over, which was often, she often had night terrors and would wake up screaming, fighting off unseen attackers. Though, according to her, this was still considerably less than what she had been doing when she was alone.

Hercule looked to Chichi. "She's right, it's not your fault. It's that ass Maxwell's fault." He leaned back, his head falling against the back of the couch with a thunk. "Maxwell doesn't know who he is fuckin' with. If he thinks he can mess with my family, he's got another think coming." He scoffed and stood up, stalking over to the door. "Hey, we need some comfort food in here. I'm starving," he spoke to some servant out in the he hallway. "Yeah, chili dogs, loaded nachos. Oh! How about that specialty soup from that new restaurant? Order some of that. And a chocolate fountain thing. And things to dip in it. Brownies. Fruit. Yeah. Thanks man."

Chichi couldn't help the tiny snort of laughter at Hercule's request. "Hungry?" she asked him with an amused smile on her face as he returned to the couch. She broke off another piece of the chocolate and offered it to him. "New restaurant?" she asked, then suddenly froze. Oh gods, no. No, it couldn't be the restaurant she was thinking of. Goten's restaurant. She'd never had her son's cooking; she had never let him cook for her when he was little. She had been convinced a man had no place in the kitchen at all. "What," she paused to clear her throat. "What new restaurant are you talking about?" she asked, hoping her voice sounded casual.

Hercule took the chocolate gratefully from her and popped it into his mouth, chewing slowly before he swallowed. "Oh yeah! Really top notch gourmet place. The head chef owner is like, one of the youngest chefs ever to get his restaurant up to five stars. I can't remember the name of it. You'll love it. This kid can make a steak and mushrooms that is to die for. It's nearly impossible to get a reservation there, but my staff are excellent about talking them into getting us a little takeout now and then. Sometimes this celebrity gig pays off," he chuckled.

Madeline chuckled and looked down at Ryan, wiping away the tears on her face. "You going to be alright baby?"

"I will be," she answered, her eyes falling shut at Madeline's soft touch. She drew a long, shaking breath and exhaled, relaxing a bit. "I love you, Maddie," she whispered, reaching up and cupping her love's cheek. "I'm sorry you got hurt today, baby. I'm sorry that my past came back to bite us in the ass."

Chichi felt her heart sink at Hercule's words, thinking she didn't deserve to eat food prepared by her son. But she didn't see a way out of this. Refusing to eat it would only raise questions from Hercule. She settled back in the couch cushions, thinking that she really did want to try her son's cooking, even if she really didn't deserve it. "I've heard of that place," she said quietly. "I heard the food is really good."

Hercule smiled at her, trying to lighten the air. "I'll take you some time. My treat! You have to try it out!" He leaned back, his stomach growling and he moved quickly to place a hand over it as if that would soften the volume of it.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Chichi said, hoping very much that he never made good on his offer. What if Goten saw her there? What if PAIGE saw her there? Chichi gave a little shiver. She didn't want to think about what would happen if she ran into either of them. They'd poison their dinner or Paige would beat her within an inch of her life. No, there was no way she would let Hercule take her there.

"Sorry, Ryan. I don't .mean to make light of your situation. You let me know if I can do anything for you, just name it," Hercule said.

"How about we just never talk about it again?" Ryan suggested. "That's enough for me." She looked over at him again, managing a smile for him. "And I better get some of that soup. I hear it's to die for. I'll fight ya for it."

Hercule smiled, proud to have Ryan as his student and he told her so. "One of the best. Alright, alright, just give me and the little lady a bowl of it and you can have the rest." He laughed, already making plans in his head to take Chichi to the restaurant. He'd have to call tomorrow to make reservations before the year was out. He was serious; he heard they were booked at least three months in advance. He would have to pull some strings, see if he could get something sooner than that.

The food arrived only a short time later and Ryan eagerly got to her feet, pulling Madeline up with her and rushed to the dining room. "Come on, you guys!" she called over her shoulder, determined to get herself in a better mood. "There better be beer on that table!" she shouted to the other staff. She still hurt inside, but she didn't want Hercule or Madeline to fuss over her any more even though she knew Madeline probably would anyway.

Chichi quietly got up and followed them into the dining room, the amazing smells of the food hitting her senses. "Oh wow," she said as she sat in her seat, looking at the spread before them. This was from Goten's restaurant? Hercule's staff must've really pulled some strings to get the food on such short notice. She couldn't believe how beautiful the food looked, how amazing it smelled. She swallowed nervously. She didn't deserve to eat this.

"Fuckin' a, this is what I'm talkin' about," Ryan grinned as she helped herself, filling her plate. Maybe she could stuff herself so full that she would just fall into a food coma and forget everything that had happened that day.

Hercule grinned at the full table. He wasn't ashamed he could eat most of it when he was hungry. Especially after a long day of matches. He went over to the container of soup and worked the cover off of it, leaning down and inhaling the fragrant scent. "Oh yeah, this is what I am talking about." He grabbed a couple of bowls and filled them full. "Okay Ryan, the rest is yours and Madeline's if you want to share with her." He set a bowl in front of Chichi and offered her a spoon. "You'll love it!" He sat down next to her and spooned up his own bite, full of potatoes and spicy sausage. He loved it. Melted in his mouth and just warmed him from the inside out. Perfect for a crappy day. "I think I need to get this kid to come by and cook for me once a week, but that might make me go bankrupt!" he laughed.

Chichi dropped her spoon at his words, splattering herself with soup. "Oh! I'm so clumsy!" she gasped and grabbed a napkin to wipe up the soup on her chest.

Ryan eagerly filled a bowl with the soup and grabbed a breadstick, dipping it into the soup and shoving half of the stick in her mouth. "I don' hafta share wif Maddie," she said around a mouthful of bread, snickering and leaning away from Madeline as she scowled at her.

Chichi composed herself, stirring the soup a bit with the spoon. "Surely the cook there is too busy to work as a personal chef for anyone, right?" she asked. "I think you'll just have to wait and go to the restaurant yourself."

Hercule smiled over at her, reaching over to rub affectionately at her back. "Yeah, good idea. You really just have to experience this place once. I'll see what I can do when I call tomorrow," he said as he quickly finished off his bowl. He chuckled at Chichi. "That's going to go cold or disappear down Ryan's throat if you don't eat up."

Chichi blinked at him before she looked back down at the soup. She knew Arthusia had been fiercely protective of Goten. Would the curse somehow affect her now if she ate her son's cooking? She could just picture herself keeling over dead at the first bite. She tried not to squirm uncomfortably in her chair. "Sorry," she murmured. "I'm just not used to fancy food like this." Finally deciding she couldn't stall anymore, she lifted the spoon to her lips and took a tiny bite. Oh, it was heaven. She didn't think she'd ever tasted anything so amazing in her life. She swallowed it down and waited a moment, expecting to feel sick at any second.

Hercule smiled widely at her and helped himself to some of the other food on the table. "See? Told you it was good. Pure heaven in a bowl." He sighed happily, looking over at Ryan and Madeline sitting next to each other. He really did feel bad for what had happened that day. Ryan still looked shaken up about the experience. He glanced at Chichi savoring her soup. He probably needed to train her in a few more defensive moves that could get her out in a pinch if she were by herself. He looked back over at Madeline and Ryan, "Why don't you two take the day off tomorrow? I think you've earned it today."

Ryan gave Hercule a small smile. "Thanks, Champ." She scooted a little closer to Madeline and offered her a bite of the soup off her own spoon. She felt lucky to have Madeline and Hercule in her life. No one had ever loved her so much. They let her be loud and silly and goofy and they still loved her no matter what random shit seemed to fly out of her mouth. She leaned closer to Madeline and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I love you, baby," she whispered.

A day off with her girlfriend sounded exactly like what Ryan needed. She felt drained, her emotions getting the best of her in that moment. All she wanted to do was to crawl into the bed in her studio apartment with her lover and erase all the bad memories. Or maybe they wouldn't even make it that far. Madeline's room here at Hercule's home was much nicer than Ryan's apartment and nearly as big. She scooted even closer to Madeline, just wanting the closeness of her. It didn't matter where they ended up that night as long as they were together.

Madeline wrapped her arms around Ryan, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek as she ate the bites of soup offered to her before the bowl was empty. She chuckled at her lover and reached across the table to grab a plate of nachos and pulled them closer. She caught Chichi's curious look at them and gave her a smile. "You look confused, hon."

Chichi blinked and gave a little start. "Oh! Sorry. Just lost in my own thoughts, I guess," she said and took another bite of the soup. She stirred it around with her spoon, feeling conflicted. The food was amazing and she wanted nothing more than to absolutely devour it. Yet at the same time, it bothered her knowing that Goten had made it and that he probably wouldn't want her to eat his cooking. She looked back up at Madeline and gave her a little smile. "Don't pay any attention to me."

Madeline watched Chichi a moment longer before a loaded tortilla chip was shoved under her nose and she smiled at Ryan before she took a bite. It was heaven. She could get used to this strange little family they had going. The whole staff felt like family, but none quite like what this little group had become. Already, before Chichi had come along, the three of them had been close. Hercule allowed into a special part of their lives, relationship, it really touched her. She was happy to see this woman here now. She was a good change for Hercule. Not one of his fans, but someone who needed him and whom he needed in return.

Hercule reached out and covered Chichi's hand. He wasn't sure what had her so perplexed. So conflicted. She had said she thought this food was too fancy for her, but he didn't think that was the truth. This food was the epitome of rustic, down home cooking with a flair.

She looked at him, the concern on his face. "What?" she asked with a little nervous laugh. "Really, I'm fine. I promise." She realized she must've appeared finicky about her food and took another bite, giving a little moan at the taste. "This is really good. Thank you for buying dinner for us."

"Does the food really bother you?" he asked. He looked down at it, but there was nothing wrong with it. It made him think there was another reason behind her actions. "Still upset about today? I'm sorry that happened. Maxwell is getting persistent. My lawyers still tell me he is dragging his feet on signing the divorce papers. Having his lawyers find all kinds of mistakes in the clauses and shit."

"That's probably it," she agreed. "I'm just shook up about what happened. I'm sorry I'm not very hungry." She sighed and leaned her cheek on her hand. "I wish he would just sign those stupid papers and be done with it. He's not going to, though. He's going to drag this out as long as he possibly can. Make me suffer for leaving him. If there's one thing I know about Maxwell, it's that he never gives up. I can't believe he hired those men to attack us in a candy store."

Hercule sighed and nodded. "Don't worry about that. I think I'll train you for a little bit tomorrow." He gave Ryan a look. "No offence, but you lack certain parts, hard for the lady to know when she's hit her mark against a male attacker." He gave a wince at the pain he was going to experience, but it was going to be worth it. "Ah, all in the name of education," he chuckled.

Chichi cringed at the prospect of fighting with Hercule. "Are you sure you want to do that? I don't want to accidentally hurt you or something," she murmured. She'd been mostly training with Ryan, only under Hercule's supervision and not sparring against him yet. "I don't want you to get upset if I hit you wrong or something."

"You're not gonna make him mad," Ryan said, stuffing her face with the nachos Madeline had pulled closer. "Hercule's the strongest man in the world. I doubt you could do any real damage to him. You're a tough bitch in training, Chichi, but you don't stand a chance. Let him train you. It'll be alright."

Chichi sighed through her nose and stirred the soup again before taking another small bite. "I used to be one of the strongest women in the world," she muttered under her breath. She was angry with herself now for giving up fighting so long ago. If she'd stayed with it, maybe she wouldn't have been beaten by her husband so many times. But even as she thought about it, she knew she wouldn't have hit him back. Because at the time, she still loved him. She would've put up with anything.

Hercule smiled at her, teasing her, "But hitting me in the wrong places is what I want to teach you. It's not something they teach in normal martial arts. You know, fighting fair and all that. This is going to be fighting dirty. I promise you, you won't make me mad. You'll probably hurt me." He winced before he chuckled, "But that's the point. Ryan can tell you that I never lay a hand on anyone out of anger."

Ryan nodded enthusiastically. "He won't. On the off chance he does get upset, he walks away. He'd never hurt you. He knows better, I'd kick his ass for ya if he did," she said and shot him a wink before she laughed. There were very few times she'd ever seen the man truly angry about anything and it always amazed her how he managed to hold his temper. She'd never been afraid of him.

Hercule chuckled at her, "Because I know you would break it off in my ass if I screwed up." He stuck his tongue out at her. "Sounds like fun, call me when you decide to jump the fence," he said with a wink.

Ryan snorted. "Yeah, hold your breath on that one. It'd be entertaining to watch you keel over." She shook her head disapprovingly at him and turned to Madeline. "Can you believe we put up with this guy? Such a pain in the ass."

Madeline chuckled, "That's not what you said a few years ago." She paused and thought. "Actually, I stand corrected, you said that about him then too." She gave a laugh and winked at Hercule before she looked at Ryan, hugging her tightly.

Ryan seemed to melt into Madeline's embrace. Even though she herself was usually the more aggressive and protective of the two, it was nice to give in to Madeline sometimes and just enjoy the comfort she offered. She was tired and sore, her eye throbbing painfully still. She picked at the nachos for a moment. "Can I stay here tonight? I don't feel like going back to my apartment," she asked to no one in particular.

Hercule chuckled, knowing full well that Ryan wasn't listening to him. "I keep offering you a room to stay here full time you know. You keep insisting on having something you call your own," he said before he looked over at Ryan who was dozing against Madeline, "Even though you have that already." He sighed and finished off what food he had on his plate.

Madeline smiled down at Ryan, brushing her locks from her face. "Of course you can stay, baby."

Ryan gave Hercule a tired smile. "Thanks, Champ." She nuzzled a little more into Madeline's chest, giving her an ornery little smirk. "Thanks, Maddie."

Hercule's sigh wasn't lost on Chichi and it was her turn to be concerned about him. She reached over and placed her hand on his forearm, looking curiously at him. "Is something bothering you?" she asked quietly. "You know, I mean, besides the obvious of what happened today?" She rubbed at his arm with her thumb, wondering what was on his mind.

Hercule gave her a sad smile, "I wish I had been there. You know? I should have been there to protect you guys." He rubbed at his face, thinking over his day at the ring, "I'm sorry that I wasn't there. I should have been. If I can't protect you guys then what good am I?" he asked. "I can save a whole world, but not my closest family?"

Chichi's heart warmed a little to hear him speak of them as a family. Now that was something she hadn't had for a very long time. "You can't be everywhere all the time. What happened wasn't your fault. You had to work. We understand. Besides, Ryan and Madeline really handled those guys pretty well on their own," she said and slid her hand down his arm to hold his hand. "You've trained them well. So in a way, you did protect us. Don't let this bother you. It wasn't your fault."

Hercule smiled at her and looked at Ryan and Madeline who nodded their agreement. "Well who am I to argue with that logic?" He smiled and leaned back. "You two go on, I know you need some time alone," he said before he looked at Chichi, giving her a smile, rubbing that the back of her hand, "Come on, I think there's a fireplace with our names on it in the other room." He looked around. "Now would be some good time for some hot chocolate and such."


	12. The Quiet Ones

Ryan didn't bother to move just yet as she watched Chichi nod and take Hercule's hand to walk with him into the living room. She turned her face, resting her chin on Madeline's chest, and blinked up at her. "Thank you for being you," she said, giving her a smile. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Maddie. I think I'd have lost my mind a long time ago."

Madeline watched as the door closed, leaving them in solitude. She slipped her fingers into Ryan's hair, leaning down to kiss at her temple. "We both needed each other," she said firmly, rubbing her hands against the other woman's back. "Come on, let's go take a bath. I think you've earned some down time today." Her mind was already thinking of how to make her feel wonderful after today. "I think I have a few things for you, if you feel like you're up for it. You can have all you want."

Ryan grinned wickedly at her lover. "Hell yeah, baby. I'm up for anything you have in mind." She forced herself to sit up straighter and downed the rest of her beer before she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and pulled Madeline to stand. "C'mon, baby." She held her hand as they made their way through the house, unnoticed by Hercule and Chichi who were cuddling near the fireplace, and finally reached Madeline's room upstairs. Ryan sighed when they entered. "You always keep your room so nice. I need to hire you as MY maid to clean my apartment."

Madeline chuckled and shook her head. "I don't think you could pay me enough to compete with what Hercule pays," she said as she led Ryan towards the bathroom, stripping off her clothes as she went, turning to help Ryan out of her own clothes. "He recently sprung for those bathtubs with jets. The circular ones? It's like having a hot tub in my own room," she purred as she showed Ryan the remodeled bath. "Nice, right?"

Ryan blinked widely at the beautiful bathroom. "Oh, NICE," she gasped. "Remind me why I haven't moved in here yet?" she joked as she went to the tub to fill it. She turned and smiled, drinking in the vision of Madeline's nude form before her. "Gods, you're gorgeous, baby." She loved Madeline's curves, her creamy smooth skin. She took her hand and pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together as she sucked at the side of Madeline's neck. "You are one sexy bitch."

Madeline sighed softly and tilted her head so that Ryan could have better access. "You have such a way with words," she teased as she reached down and cupped Ryan's crotch, rubbing two fingers against her exposed body. "Mmm, you are so wet for me, aren't you?" she murmured; she could feel her own body responding in kind and she wanted nothing more than to be with her lover, to feel her mouth on her, her fingers pressed inside of her. "Gods, I want you baby."

Ryan whined as she continued to suck at Madeline's neck and she rocked her hips into her hand. She felt her core throb as she grew even wetter against those talented fingers. "Oh that feels good," she whispered hotly against Madeline's ear. She moaned as her hands moved to cup her lover's breasts, lightly pinching and twisting the pert nipples. "I want you, too." She pulled back slightly and stepped into the tub, pulling Madeline with her before she captured her lips in a searing kiss.

Madeline sighed happily as she was pulled into the tub. She settled herself on her lover, rocking her hips against Ryan. "I will keep you safe. That man will never touch you, own you, or anything again. You are mine and I am yours," she said as she leaned down and kissed at her neck, sighing happily.

Madeline's weight on her hips made Ryan's core throb again, longing for her touch. She lifted her hips a bit, letting her lover rock on her even more. The hot water swirled around them, adding to the sensations. She slipped her hand down to thumb at the other woman's clit, grinning when she drew a hiss from her. "Yours," she answered as she slipped her middle finger into Madeline's tight heat, wiggling it within her.

Madeline hissed and arched her back, rocking against her finger that pierced her so deeply. "Gods, yes, There you go baby, right there. I want more," she said as she rocked against her lover's fingers. "You are amazing, Ryan. Those men, they can't have you. You are mine. I won't let him have you."

Ryan plunged a second finger into Madeline's body, moaning at the tight heat on her fingers, the slickness she could feel there. She loved how possessive Madeline was, how she voiced it to her. She pistoned her fingers in and out of her, adding a third slender finger and she groaned low in her throat. "I love how you can take my hand like this, baby. You're so tight on my fingers. I want to make you come so hard. Ngh… and then I can't wait to eat you out."

Madeline moaned, moving back to sit on the edge of the tub, spreading her legs wider. "Give it to me Ryan," she begged, rocking her hips up. She reached down and grasped Ryan's wrist, pulling her outside of her before she pushed her back in, fucking herself on her loves fingers as she whined.

Ryan grinned again and pulled her hand back, dipping her head to flick the tip of her tongue against Madeline's clit. "Oh gods, you taste amazing," she purred as she sealed her lips around it, sucking it and teasing it with her tongue for a moment. She pulled back and spread Madeline's legs even more, admiring her glistening center for a moment before she pressed her fingers against her body. She worked her fingers in and out of Madeline, moaning loudly as a fourth finger slipped into her. "There you go, baby. Take it all for me," she moaned, her fingers buried in her lover as she dipped her head to lick at the sensitive little nub again.

Madeline's eyes widened, her hips rising up off of the ground as Ryan pushed completely into her. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. "Oh gods! YES! Right there!" she cried as she thrust against her, writhing as she felt her hot velvet tongue on her clit. She could feel herself throbbing against her love's hand. "Yes baby! Just a little bit more!" she cried.

Ryan had to stop herself from smiling against Madeline's body as she worked her tongue rapidly over her swollen clit. Her own body ached to be touched, to be satisfied, but she was more concerned about Madeline at the moment and bringing her to climax. She pistoned her fingers faster and faster in and out of her body, pausing to swirl a fingertip around the ring of Madeline's cervix or to harshly massage at her g-spot, pleasuring all the sensitive spots deep within her body. "Come for me," she commanded, giving Madeline's clit a tiny nip with her teeth before she sucked it fiercely again.

Stars popped before Madeline's eyes as molten hot pleasure dripped through her and she clenched tightly around the fingers inside of her. It was insane how much pleasure she could get from this, from Ryan. The thought alone of those fingers inside of her, teasing at her most private of parts was enough to have her coming. Feeling Ryan tease her, touch her in all of the right places was just an exquisite pleasure she couldn't begin to fathom. She lost her mind as she came, feeling her essence dripping out around Ryan's hand.

Ryan smiled as Madeline came and continued to thrust her hand deeply into her lover until she was certain the orgasm had subsided. Ever so carefully, she pulled her hand back and sank down into the tub, looking up at Madeline with innocent eyes. "I love doing that for you," she said in a sultry voice before she began to suck on her fingers one at a time, lapping up Madeline's essence.

Madeline laid there for a moment, turning her cheek to rest on the cool tile as she came back to herself. Her core still throbbed in pleasure from the orgasm and she didn't want to move, but she wanted to tend to her lover. She pushed herself up, smiling at Ryan who was sucking on her fingers as if they were a treat. "Gods, that turns me on so much when you do that," she purred as she slipped into the hot tub, her fingers seeking out Ryan's breasts as she leaned in. "What can I do for you tonight?"

Ryan moaned as Madeline cupped her breasts, teasing the already sensitive flesh. She leaned in for a heated kiss, pulling her girlfriend closer to her. "Anything you want to do to me," she breathed. "Just make it go away, Maddie. I want to forget. Remind me that I'm yours and no one else's. Please, baby," she begged, kissing her fiercely, leaning her chest more into Madeline's touch.

Madeline lowered her head, nipping along Ryan's neck down to her chest where she sealed her mouth around a pert nipple. Gods, she had to love this the best. She cupped the flesh and kneaded it as she sucked and nibbled on her girlfriend. She had told her everything, everything that had happened to her when her father would bet her off to strange men. The horrible acts that they put her through. She vowed to take it all away and replace it with new, better memories that would forever shadow the wrongs done to her. She moved Ryan up, sitting her on the rim of the tub and knelt between her legs, parting them so she could see better. She licked her lips at the glistening flesh before her and moved one hand to part the folds before she lowered her head and sucked at the delicate flesh.

Ryan sucked in a harsh breath through her teeth as Madeline's hot mouth closed over her. "Gods, yes!" she cried out, cupping the back of her lover's head, twisting her fingers into the damp locks of her hair. "Oh, Maddie, you're so good at this," she purred, leaning back heavily on one arm, lifting her hips a bit. Her eyes rolled back in her head at the feel of Madeline's slick, hot tongue working over her flesh. "Harder, baby. Give me more. Please!" She moaned as Madeline complied, teasing her clit, making her tremble. "Fuck, that's so good!"

Madeline smiled against Ryan's skin and moved her hand, slipping two fingers into her wet heat, just below her tongue. In tandem, she began thrusting in and out of her love while her tongue and teeth worked over her lover's clit. Alternating between nipping and licking, sometimes capturing the nub between her teeth to mercilessly lave at it with her tongue. She pressed her fingers deeply with in Ryan's body, pressing hard at her g spot, loving the way her body bucked up against her for more.

"Oh fuck yes! Right there, baby," Ryan choked out, writhing on Madeline's fingers. She loved that, the delicious ache that radiated through her body as that spot was touched, teased, tormented by Madeline's fingers. Her body began to clench down on the digits within her, her breath catching in her chest. "Maddie… I'm gonna come," she sobbed out, going crazy with pleasure as the orgasm washed over her, making her scream out her pleasure so loud she was certain the whole house would hear them.

Madeline sealed her lips around her lover as she came, drinking down the sweet nectar that flowed forth from her body as shudders began to course through her. She sighed happily against Ryan as the other's legs curled around her shoulders, pulling her face tightly against her body and not letting go until her orgasm subsided. She pulled back with a smack, licking her lips as she watched her lover recover. "You are so beautiful when you come," she smiled, running her hands over Ryan's abdomen.

Ryan gave a breathless laugh as she slid back into the tub, straddling Madeline's lap. She held her head in her hands, tipping her face just so, and planted a slow, sensual kiss on her lips. She pulled back, nipping at Madeline's bottom lip. "You're the beautiful one," she said, wrapping her arms around the shorter woman, burying her face in Madeline's hair. "I love you, baby. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again." She pulled back and frowned sadly at the bandages on Madeline's arms. It made her furious that someone had hurt her.

Madeline smiled at Ryan, pulling back to cup her cheek. "Don't you worry about this. This was nothing. I'd gladly do it again if it meant I could protect you from the evils of your childhood."

"I know you would," Ryan said and relaxed back against the side of the tub and stared up at the ceiling for a moment, enjoying the feel of the jets as they swirled the hot water around her. She swallowed harshly, the memories coming back full force again. The things her stepfather did to her, the things his friends would do when he lost a hand of poker. She'd been so young, she didn't even understand what was happening to her or what she'd done to deserve it. "I wish it would all go away. I wish I could forget it. I'm never going to be able to erase it from my fuckin' head."

Madeline curled up next to Ryan in the water, slipping her arms around her waist. She studied her girlfriend's face for a moment before she leaned up and pressed a solid kiss to her cheek for a long moment. "I wish you could forget too, dear heart. I wish I could take it all away, undo what was done," she said as she leaned down to rest her head on Ryan's shoulder as she watched the water swirl around them. "The only thing we can do is fill up your head with good memories until there are so many you can't remember the bad."

Ryan gave a mirthless laugh. "I don't know if that's possible," she said in a hushed voice. She shook her head and looked at her girlfriend. "I just don't understand, Maddie. How could someone do that to a child? I tried to tell my mother about it, tried to explain to her what happened. She slapped me. Said I was a liar. And when I got older, she said it was my fault, that I seduced him. That I was jealous of her or some shit and that I tried to take what she had."

"We both know that isn't true. That wasn't a family for you. You have one now. I know we can't undo what has been done to you, but damned if I'm not going to do my best to make it better." She sighed and switched off the jets as she eased out of the tub and went to go get them towels and robes. "Come on, sexy. Let me take care of you before we go relax in bed." She held out the towel for her girl.

Ryan smiled and climbed out of the tub, wrapping the towel around herself before she took the second one from Madeline and began to dry her off. "You do make it better," she said as she ran the towel over her smooth skin. She pressed a kiss to Madeline's hip as she dried her legs. "I would be such a mess if I didn't have you and Hercule." She sighed as she thought about him, frowning slightly. "I really hope he doesn't see me differently now. I don't want that. I don't want him to treat me different or change his mind about me." She stood up and tossed the towel aside before she wrapped Madeline in the soft bathrobe. "He's the closest thing I've ever had to a real father, you know? In a weird, best-friendish-teacher sort of way. Yeah."

Madeline took Ryan's towel and returned the favor, drying her off carefully as she looked up at her. "I know," she said with a smile. "He is really something special." She stood up and wrapped her lover in the soft bathrobe. "You know he isn't going to think of you any differently. He loves you like his own daughter. And you are around more than she is. He's the kind of guy we can share our time with and you know he won't change a bit or think of you in any ill way."

"I hope you're right," she said and kissed Madeline. She pulled back and gave her a small smile. "C'mon you sexy bitch. Let's make the rest of the staff wait on us hand and foot for the rest of the night." She gave Madeline a playful slap on the ass and giggled to run to the bedroom and dove under the blankets, trying to hide.

Madeline grinned and gave a laugh as she took off after her, diving under the covers. Her robe came off a second later as she curled up around her love. Her skin was still warm from the bath and she felt absolutely delicious. "The staff probably hate us, think we're the favorites of the Champ and all that," she snickered, "So true."

"They're plotting to kill us in our sleep," Ryan said, holding Madeline securely to her. "But it's not cause we're his favorites, which we are, but it's because they're jealous of all the awesome sex we have. They all want to be me. They want in your pants." She reached down and pinched Madeline's rear and giggled again when she jumped. "You're so fuckin' sexy."

Madeline laughed and cupped Ryan's rear in her own hands, leaning down and nibbling at her neck. "Don't I know it," she snickered before she paused and turned over to her nightstand to grab the remote and switched on the tv and turned up the volume. She chuckled and rolled over on top of Ryan.

Ryan pouted up at Madeline as she slid her arms around her waist. "Awwww. I thought you were going for something different when you reached for that nightstand," she said with a wink. She grasped the backs of Madeline's thighs and scooted her up just a bit so she could bury her face in her lover's ample cleavage. "You smell so good," she murmured, licking at the valley between her breasts.

Madeline smiled and leaned against Ryan, letting her suckle at her flesh. "Oh? What would you like from our little drawer of naughty toys?" She thought about the dildos, but now was not the time for that. Not when her love had just been reminded of a horrible past where she was used as a sexual object for pigs.

Ryan thought about it for just a moment, her mind going over the variety of object in the drawer, but none of them seemed appealing. Her expression sobered a bit and she looked up at Madeline. "I just want you tonight," she murmured, moving to capture a taut nipple in her lips. She pulled it deep into her mouth, sucking and teasing with her tongue, digging her fingers into Madeline's firm, round bottom. "All I need is you."

Madeline chuckled, "You have all of me, all that you want." She tugged off Ryan's robe and tossed it aside. She leaned down and teased her slick folds with her delicate fingers. "I have a few positions that might spark your interest," she purred against her, kissing her, drinking her down.

Ryan kissed back at her, slipping her hand down to tease at Madeline's already dripping wet sex. She moaned at the sensation, the heat and slickness on her fingers. "Mmmmmm, do tell, baby," she said, moaning lightly as Madeline's fingers worked over her own body. "Gods, you know how to turn me on. I'm so wet for you, Maddie. Tell me how you want it. How you want me. I wanna make you scream so the whole house knows what we're doing."

Madeline smiled at her, moving her legs apart so she could sit between them. She slipped up until their bodies touched, their clits rubbing together. "Oh gods, just like this. Let's try this scissor position out, baby." She moaned as she reached down between their bodies and let her fingers twirl around their clits. She bucked against her lover.

Ryan gasped out and reached down to grab Madeline's hand. She slowly lifted it to her fingers and sucked them one by one, tasting their essences mixed together. She gyrated her hips against her lover's, moaning wantonly at the friction between their bodies. Madeline's core was slick and wet against her own, drawing another cry from her own voice. "Oh Maddie! That's so good! OH…. wow! Ohhhhhhh!"

Madeline threw her head back, leaning back on her hands as they thrust wantonly against each other. "Good gods, that feels amazing baby," she moaned before she reached out and caught Ryan's hand, guiding her back down to where their bodies met. She gasped out as they both teased each other, their bodies slick against each other.

"Oh baby," Ryan whined, working her fingers furiously over their bodies, biting her lower lip. She locked eyes with Madeline, desperate moans wrenching from her throat. "I'm so close. So close," she gasped, flicking and teasing their clits, slick sounds filling the air as they pleasured one another. She could feel a heat pooling low in her belly, her thighs glistening with her own juices mixed with Madeline's. "Baby, I'm gonna come!"

Madeline smiled, moaning out in her pleasure. There was something erotic about being so entwined with each other, their sexes touching each other. "Gods, you are so hot against me like this," she cried as she reached out with her free hand and pinched at Ryan's pert nipples. Her pleasure was soaring higher. "Come with me, Ryan!" she cried out, bucking her hips against her, stars popping in front of her eyes as their clits rubbed together.

Ryan gave a strangled cry as she came, bucking her hips harder against Madeline, her eyes rolling in her head as the waves of orgasm washed over her. She waited for Madeline to still against her before she collapsed back on the bed, sweating and panting. "Oh fuck, baby. That was so good," she gasped. She laid there for a minute to catch her breath before she crawled up behind Madeline, wrapping her arms around her. "Gods, the things you do to me," she whispered hotly as she pressed herself up against her lover's back, her hand trailing up to Madeline's breast, squeezing it firmly in her fingers.

Madeline arched her back against Ryan, into her touch. Her hand seemed to mold perfectly to the shape of her breast. "Gods, you are perfect," she breathed, turning her head to press their lips together, kissing her passionately. "Mmm, I think I really could lay here all night and day with you in bed," she said softly as she rubbed herself back against Ryan.

Ryan smiled warmly as she curled her fingers more around Madeline's breast, pinching her nipple. Her other hand slid down the flat plane of Madeline's stomach to cup her wet, hot sex. "I'm okay with that," she purred as she drew her finger along the length of the wet line between Madeline's legs. She gently twirled her fingers around the still hardened nub of her clit, smiling as Madeline moaned again. "Can I make you come again, baby?" she whispered hotly in her ear, kissing at her neck.

Madeline bucked into Ryan's hold on her, pleasure still singing through her body at their recent orgasm. A smile teased her lips and she let her head fall back onto her girlfriend's shoulder. "You always make me come. Always. See how wet you make me?" she asked as she thrust her hips up against Ryan's hand, trying to fuck herself on those amazing fingers.

Ryan continued to tease at her clit, not letting Madeline impale herself on her fingers just yet. "Oh, you want it?" she teased, sucking harshly at the side of her neck, pinching and tweaking her nipple a little harder. She loved the way Madeline bucked in her grasp, the moans and pants from her throat. She teased her fingers around the opening to her body, nipping at the side of her neck. "You are really wet," she agreed. "Do you really want it that bad?" She finally gave in and slid her fingers into the tight heat of Madeline's body. She groaned at the sensation, holding her lover securely in her arms for just a minute before she rapidly pumped her fingers in and out of the velvety soft yet tight heat, her thumb still working over Madeline's clit.

Madeline felt so held, so cherished. Her back pressed up firmly against Ryan's body. She was inescapable, a fact that turned Madeline on, being held like that. She rocked her hips forward as much as she could but the position rendered her to Ryan's mercy. "Please! More, I want more," she moaned out wantonly. There was no better feeling. It made her feel so full, so wanted.

Ryan buried her face in Madeline's hair, smiling as she pleasured her love. It was incredible to hear her beg for it like that, to see her so broken down and wanton when she was normally so composed. "You're beautiful like this," Ryan whispered, twisting her nipple harshly before she went to the neglected breast, teasing it lightly. Listening to the pleads from her lover, she slipped a third finger into her, working her body open again. She shivered at the feeling of Madeline's body clenching around her hand. "You're amazing, Maddie. Absolutely amazing."

"Yesssss," she hissed out, feeling the wonderful burning stretch as Ryan pressed more fingers inside of her. She let her head fall back, turning her face to look at her love. "The only bad thing about this position is that I can't watch your beautiful face," she said, reaching behind her and threading her fingers into Ryan's hair, lightly scratching at the scalp. "Fuck me hard baby. Make me scream so the whole house hears."

Ryan couldn't take it anymore and she wiggled from behind Madeline, never pulling her hand away, and laid her lover on her back as she moved to lay over her. "Gods, I can never tell you no," she breathed as she pressed a fourth finger into her. She gave a strangled little cry; it turned her on so much to see Madeline like that. She captured a pert nipple in her mouth, sucking for all she was worth, as her free hand pinched and twisted the other. "I love watching you take my fingers like this," she gasped.

Madeline's back arched off the bed, her muscles clamping down hard on her lovers hand. "OH FUCK!" she cried out. She made herself wrench her eyes open to look down at her girlfriend, smiling widely at her before she tilted her head back in pleasure. She writhed beneath her before she reached up and drew Ryan in for a fervent kiss.

Encouraged by Madeline's words, Ryan pressed her fist deeper into her lover, watching with a hungry fascination. Her own sex quivered, her essence dripping out onto the mattress and her thighs. "So beautiful," she gasped, withdrawing a bit from Madeline before she quickly slid her hand back in, going deeper, deeper within her. "Baby, I don't want to hurt you," she breathed, amazed that Madeline was able to handle her like that.

Madeline clenched around Ryan, the girth finally making her wince in pain, but the fullness, the look on Ryan's face made it worth it. "That's good baby, " she breathed, "Gods, you are so deep inside me, I can feel you. I'm yours, baby. All yours. I could come just looking at you like this. Touch yourself for me. Make us come together!"

Ryan didn't need telling twice and quickly slipped her free hand down between her legs to pinch and twist at her own clit, stroking it feverishly with her fingers. "Oh gods," she breathed against Madeline's breast. She was so worked up, it wouldn't take much to get her off. She sealed her lips tighter around the nipple in her mouth, moaning and sucking as she plunged her fingers into Madeline's silken heat over and over. "Come for me baby. I'm almost there. Come for me," she commanded, feeling herself winding up to a climax, her own essence slick on her fingers.

Madeline shrieked her pleasure as she came around Ryan, clenching down hard on her as she arched up into her. Her vision going completely white as a ringing haze filled her ears. Pleasure was all she knew and she heard Ryan scream out her pleasure a moment later, both of them thrusting against each other. Finally, after a long moment, she relaxed back down into the bed, feeling completely drained. She smiled before she opened her eyes and reached down to thread her fingers through Ryan's damp hair. "Gods baby, that was so good. You make me come so hard."

"Heh," Ryan laughed as she laid her cheek on Madeline's breastbone, wrapping her arms around her waist to hold her tightly. "I love making you come. I just want to please you all the time, Maddie. I know I get on your nerves sometimes cause I get so wound up, but I'm so happy that you put up with me." She nuzzled the full breast before her, pressing a loving kiss to the smooth, warm skin. She gave a contented sigh and snuggled more into Madeline. "Love you," she murmured quietly.

Madeline smiled softly and rubbed at Ryan's shoulder blades. "I love you too, baby. You don't get on my nerves. I don't put up with you. It's part of the whole relationship isn't it? Good with the bad? I know I could never see my life without you in it," she said as she looked down at Ryan. She loved it when Ryan was like this. Contented and high on sex. She looked adorable, but she didn't dare breathe a word of that. "Thank you for letting me get close to you."

Ryan nuzzled sleepily against her and murmured, "Thanks for loving me."


	13. Reclaiming Himself

"God damn it, BULMA!" Vegeta roared as he pressed the buttons on the unresponsive control panel to his gravity room. Nothing worked. Not even the damn lights or the door. He'd had to force his way in only to find that nothing would turn on. The rest of Capsule Corp had power. It only meant one thing. Bulma had flipped the breaker to this room. "Woman, I swear to the gods, I don't know where that breaker box is, but I WILL find it!" he raged, shoving harshly away from the panel and stomping out into the hallway. "Is that what you really want?!" he called out to the empty space. "A pissed off Saiyan around your precious electronics will not end well for you!"

Bulma winced as she heard Vegeta yelling halfway across the building and she knew all too well he could get into the breaker room. Though if he would know which one to flip, she would be impressed. The Capsule Corp breaker boxes were far from few. She stepped out into the hallway and headed towards the angry cursing. She raised an eyebrow at the fresh dent in one of the walls as she spotted her husband. "Yes, yes, end of the world and all that. I'm not turning that damned thing back on until three conditions have been met. Go on, I'll bet you can guess what they are!"

He narrowed his eyes at her as he crossed his arms over his chest, his tail whipping dangerously behind him. "I swear if you tell me one more time to shower, eat, or sleep…" He left the threat hanging in the air. She'd been on him to do those things, but all he wanted to do was train. He wasn't hungry. He wasn't tired. And if he was left alone in his gravity room, who gave a shit how dirty and sweaty he was? "I mean it, Bulma. Turn the fucking thing back on. NOW."

"Ding, ding, ding. Wow! You guessed all three and you didn't even need to call in a lifeline," she said sarcastically as she crossed her arms. She hated being like this, but times like this, his stubbornness forced her hand. "You are going to be as thin as a toothpick if you don't eat anything soon. Then who's going to pick you up off the floor?"

"So leave me there to rot," he spat and stalked towards her. It angered him the way she held her ground, her arms crossed, both of them nose to nose. "Turn it back on," he snarled. "I'm in no mood for your shenanigans. I need to train. I'll eat when I damn well feel like it. I'm not a child. I'm a warrior and I can decide for myself what my body needs."

Bulma had to force herself not to roll her eyes, or grab her nose. "Yeah, well, when you start acting like a warrior, I'll turn the power back on." She grabbed his wrist and turned on her heel, hauling him off towards their bedroom. "First, I have dinner waiting that you can eat in the hidden depths of our bedroom. Then you are going to get a shower and then crawl into bed. If you manage to stay awake long enough, maybe we can have a talk."

Vegeta let out a low, lion-like growl as she dragged him to their bedroom. "Fine. Fine!" he snapped and yanked his wrist out of her grasp as she shut the door behind them. "I'll eat and I'll shower. But that's all. And only because I grow weary of your incessant nagging!" He huffed and went to the table in their room to flop down into a chair. He heard his stomach growl, but he didn't feel it. He grabbed a steak with his hand and tore into it with his teeth, not bothering with a plate or the silverware. He felt twitchy like a caged animal, and he figured what would it hurt to eat like one.

Bulma opened her mouth to protest, but snapped it shut a moment later as she watched him eat like he had converted back to the days of the cavemen. Her nerves felt frayed and she was on edge as she watched him eat. She had a plate for herself, but left it on the table, afraid that she might get smacked if she got too close. She was worried for him and her heart ached, her soul missed him lying next to her each night. She just missed him.

Vegeta cast her a quick sideways glance before he reached over and nudged her plate. "Eat." If she had a place setting for herself, then obviously she hadn't had dinner yet either. She looked frightened of him and he sighed heavily through his nose. That was a look he'd seen years ago and he never wanted to see it from her again. "I'm not going to bite you," he said roughly as he tore into another piece of meat.

Bulma let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding as she moved to slide into the seat in front of him, picking up her knife and fork as she cut into her own meal. "I'm sorry I turned off the power to the gravity room, but gods, Vegeta. I miss you. I've been trying to find a way to help you, but you just keep vanishing into your training and it's like I don't see you for days on end. When I do, you are like a shadow of your former self."

He looked across the table at her as he chewed his food. "The hell else am I supposed to do?" he asked and looked back down at his meal. He gave a snort and a shake of his head as he continued to eat. The food was good, he couldn't deny that, but he still didn't feel any hunger. "I told you I wanted to forget. I can't do that if you expect me to sit around and talk about my feelings like some goddamn weak blubbering fool."

Bulma studied him for a moment as she ate, swallowing the bite she had as she considered him. "And how well has that current path worked for you? Have you forgotten everything that's happened? Or does it just keep coming back stronger and each time it does, you think you have to push yourself harder to get it out?" She sighed and rubbed her head. "Making yourself forget isn't going to help. You need to take back control."

Vegeta slapped the piece of meat down onto the plate and finished chewing before he spoke. "That's what I'm doing, Bulma. It's the only goddamn thing I seem to have control over around here. My training. My body. My terms. And YOU just took that from me by turning off the goddamn machine," he growled as he pointed at her. "I know you don't understand it. That's fine. I don't feel the need to justify it. But this is how I deal. If you can't understand it, you could at least respect me enough to accept it." He felt a shiver race down his spine as he heard the doctor's voice echo in his head again. He'd sat here for too long, let his mind wander again. He huffed angrily and picked up his food once again.

"I will not sit by and watch my mate waste away to nothing. I will not let those damned aliens take anything more away from us. What they did to you is affecting me as well, damn it. I was going to give you something else you can have control over. Me. That way, I can help you get past this shitty experience. You shouldn't think that you have to suffer through this on your own."

Vegeta stared at her for a moment. He hadn't been much in the mood after his experience with the aliens. Even when the night of the full moon rolled around, he'd gone out to train with Tora instead of spending the night with Bulma. The other Saiyan had been less than impressed with him, but Vegeta didn't much care. He hadn't realized that his actions were bothering Bulma that much. He'd been so caught up in his own hurt, the loss of his pride, his dignity, that her feelings hadn't even crossed his mind. "Is that what you really want?" he asked, his tone flat and unemotional.

Bulma studied him for a moment before she matched his neutral look. "No, but if it helps my mate, then I will do it," she said, remembering what he had told her. That he had agreed to his own situation in an effort to make sure that Piccolo and Gohan would receive better treatment.

Vegeta sighed through his nose. "Bulma, that's not going to help. I'm not going to ask you to do something you don't want to do. Goddammit, woman, that's my whole problem here," he growled. That he'd been made to do something against his will, backed into a corner with no choice in the matter. He licked his fingers clean and downed his glass of wine as he got to his feet. "I'm going to shower," he grumbled, turning towards the bathroom. He paused at the door to look over his shoulder at her. "You should know me better than to make you do something you don't want to do," he said before he continued on into the room to strip away his dirty training clothes.

Bulma groaned and slapped her face. She pushed away from the table and stalked over to the bathroom door, calling through it. "Gods, you can be as thick as Goku sometimes, I swear." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the floor. "It's called role-reversal, you dope. I'm trying to give you back the control that was taken away from you. Unless you don't think I can handle you. I want you to do this, Vegeta."

Vegeta didn't answer her for a minute as he just stood under the hot water, letting it wash over his aching muscles. Despite the heat and the steam, he shuddered. He'd swore that what the doctor did to him wouldn't have a lasting impact on his life, but it had. He could still feel those medical instruments inside his body, the pain, the humiliation, all of it. His stomach churned and for a moment, he thought he might get sick.

He knew Bulma was just trying to help. Perhaps he needed to give it a try, to see if what she suggested could help him to break out of this mindset he'd been in. Surely it couldn't get any worse. "Fine," he finally answered, loud enough that he was sure she could hear him. "But just remember you asked for this."

"As long as you remember that," Bulma ground out before she went over to the bed, turning on the bedside lamp. She pulled out the bottom drawer of the nightstand, where she kept all of their "toys" and she settled herself on the middle of the bed. She wondered if she should get out some rope or something, but decided against it; Vegeta could just energy bind her if that was what he wanted to do. She didn't know if he'd even be interested in the toys that night, but she left the drawer open for him to decide. Gods, she just wanted him back. She missed him something fierce and wanted whatever attentions he could give her.

Vegeta finally turned off the shower, feeling better even though he didn't want to admit it. He finally made his way out to the bedroom and paused when he saw her on the bed. "There. I'm clean. Even brushed my teeth. Wanna check my toothbrush?" he asked sarcastically. He walked over to the bed, his hands on his hips as he stared at her. He mentally scolded himself for being so harsh with her while she was only trying to help him. He tossed away the towel around his hips and crawled onto the bed, bracing himself over her. "Are you certain this is what you want?" he asked, his tone softer. It had been too long for them both. That wasn't like him, to deny her, to pull away from her touch. He didn't want to be like this with her. He wanted to get back to the way they were before.

Bulma felt her breath hitch in anticipation. She could feel the heat radiating off of his bare skin, fresh from the shower. She looked up into his dark eyes, seeing there the fear that he had been trying to keep hidden from her and the rest of the world. She licked her lips as she laid back on the bed. "Do your worst," she breathed. "Tie me up, use me, whatever you need to do."

Vegeta studied her for a moment before he moved to quickly strip her of her clothing until she lay bare beneath him. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head as he laid his full weight over her, trapping her beneath his body. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he felt her pull, testing him to see if his grip was secure. It was. She couldn't escape him if her life depended on it. He lowered his face to her breast, nuzzling her nipple with his nose until it firmed. He looked up and met her eyes as he suddenly latched onto her, sucking the pert flesh deep into his mouth where he teased it mercilessly. He growled when he felt her writhe and he pressed her wrists a little harder into the mattress, not to hurt her but to reinforce that he was the dominant one, that he would have his way with her however he saw fit. He bit at her nipple, then sucked it again, ignoring the rest of her body as he teased and tormented her sensitive flesh.

Bulma hissed out in pain and pleasure as he teased her. She had a thought that he would mimic or come close to the atrocities that had been done to himself. Whatever he needed to do, she would support it. His weight on her, pinning her to the bed, was wonderful after so long of being without him. She tested her movements, wrapping a slender leg around his waist to see if he could be challenged, if this was enough or if he wanted more.

Without breaking contact with her breast, he grabbed her leg and shoved it back against the bed, using his own leg to hold her in place. He finally pulled back from her breast with a slick pop, admiring the dark color he'd drawn to her nipple before he flicked her nipple with his tongue, then moved to the other. He growled low in his throat as his length hardened and he nipped at her breast with his teeth. His tail slid between them, seeking out her wet heat. He slid it against her clit, flicking the tip of it against the sensitive nub.

Bulma gasped out as she forced her hips to remain still against the mattress. She whimpered while his tail stroked against her sex. "Gods, Vegeta. What are you doing to me?" she gasped out as she felt him tease her further. Her nipples ached for him and she finally let her eyes meet with his again.

Vegeta adjusted her wrists so he could hold her with one hand, then slid his free hand down to cup her sex. He let his tail slide back to tease her ass as he plunged his fingers into her center, harshly rubbing at her g-spot as he thumbed her clit at the same time. He smirked again as she tried to arch her back off the bed, pressing herself up against him. His tail pressed against her puckered flesh, working her body open to him, and he shivered as it slid into her.

Bulma's mouth fell open at the near dry entry of his tail into her body, using only her own slickness as lubricant. That alone made him seem larger than she could ever remember him being and she let out a pained moan as he kept pushing his tail in until she felt incredibly full. "Oh gods, Vegeta," she breathed, feeling a heated blush creep across her cheeks. She felt like she was spread so wide that he might split her in two.

He couldn't stop himself from thrusting his hips forward, rubbing his aching length against the smooth skin of her thigh. It felt good to be in control, to decide what happened between them, when it happened. He nipped and sucked at her breasts again, his fingers mercilessly working her body as his tail writhed within her. He moaned at the slick, hot feeling on his fingers, the way her body clenched tightly on his tail. That alone could've made him come. He slid a third finger into her, stretching her even more, hitting that spot, and grinned against her breast when he felt more of her essence splash against his fingers. "I'm going to make you come over and over until you can't stand it."

Bulma shivered beneath him, already feeling on the edge. To know that she was at his complete mercy and that he wouldn't stop until he had worked out all of his demons from his experience. She regretted not setting up a safe word so that she could beg him to stop and be ignored all the same. Then again, he was an intelligent man, maybe he would remember what she said at the beginning. She screamed out her pleasure as his fingers, stretching her so wide, pressed mercilessly against that spot deep inside of her, his tail writhing inside of her as if it had a mind of its own. She came, her hips straining up against his hand that held her down. She swallowed thickly as she drifted down from that. She knew he knew that she could take more and so she weakly moaned out, "Please. No more." She gasped, looking up at him, hoping he caught on.

Vegeta let out a mirthless laugh. "I'm nowhere near done with you," he growled, still teasing her body. "I wonder just exactly how much you can take." He worked a fourth finger around, wriggling it into her body, and shuddered at how incredibly tight she felt on his hand. "Mmm, what a good little whore you are. Look at how your body just takes everything I give it." He thrust harder against her leg, unable to stand it anymore, and gave a strangled cry as he came. He grit his teeth as his cock twitched against her impossibly smooth skin, his cum splattering over her thigh, her sex, and his hand.

Bulma shuddered as his hot essence splashed over her fevered skin. A wave of relief washed over her as well, the knowledge that she was taking him back as much as he was taking back pieces of himself. She moaned as she swallowed hard, wanting to push down on his hand, but kept to her part. "No, please. Not that. I... I can't, not the whole thing. You are going to break me!" she pleaded as he continued to press his four fingers into her. Her body felt hot, sweat glistening over her skin as his tail continued its unrelenting pace inside of her. Her nipples ached to be touched, she wanted to thrust up against him. She wanted him to have free reign over her body.

Something about the way she begged just set his blood on fire. If she wanted him to stop, really stop, he knew that he would. But she wasn't saying that, she wasn't using their safe word, and her tone betrayed her words. She wanted this. He tucked his thumb against the palm of his hand, pressing against her body, twisting his wrist as he worked her open. "You'll take it. And you'll love it," he growled, his length already firming again. He moaned out as her body gave to him. "See? Now tell me how it feels. Do you love it? Hate it? Tell me." He dipped his head to barely flick the tip of his tongue over her hardened nipples, loving the way she hissed at his teasing.

Bulma threw her head back against the pillows as he forced his entire hand inside of her body. She could feel something tearing, but the pain only intensified her pleasure and she roared out as she came again, clenching down hard on his hand. She sobbed out as he still didn't stop and her hips writhed against his hold on her. Her voice was higher when she spoke, screamed, begged, "Gods please! No! No more! Stop, Vegeta! Stop!" She cried out, squeezing down on his hand before she looked up at him, judging his state of mind, "I've come twice! Isn't that enough for you?!"

"No," he answered darkly as he pulled his hand from her body and sucked his fingers one at a time. "I'm just getting started." He suddenly sat back on his heels and looked her body over for a moment. Gods, she looked gorgeous, her breasts firm, her sex glistening and red, his cum splattered over her. "Turn over," he ordered and grabbed her hip, turning her to lay on her chest. He grabbed both of her hips and pulled her to stick them up in the air, his tail still working in and out of her body. He leaned over her, biting at her back. "You're still enjoying this. Your begging isn't nearly convincing enough. We'll be done when I decide I've had enough of you," he murmured in her ear and drove himself into her dripping wet heat.

Bulma couldn't stop the groan of pleasure she felt of him sliding into her. Gods, it had been too long for this. She arched her back as much as she could. She still felt impossibly full, the way his tail curled up inside of her, forcing her to take more and more of him. The way it rubbed up against his cock between the thin wall of muscle inside of her. It was so good, it brought tears to her eyes and she turned her face into the pillow as she let him fuck her.

Vegeta's eyes rolled in his head as he slammed himself into his mate's body. Oh, how he'd missed this. He hadn't even realized how much until now. It made something in his chest ache, a knot form in his throat. He shook his head; there would be time to think about that later perhaps. He didn't want to break their roleplay now. He redoubled his efforts, pumping himself into her at a brutal pace as he continued to place little bites across her back, his fingers digging into her hips to hold her in place. "Gods, you're a good fuck," he moaned out.

Bulma sobbed out as another orgasm washed over her, forcing her body to clench down tightly onto Vegetas cock and tail. "Please, stop. Take it out," she breathed as she felt her body melt around his own, his hard length still hitting that spot perfectly inside of her. She tangled her fingers into the sheets below her. She could feel her essence dripping out around their connections. It was a delicious feeling.

"No," he growled. His breathing grew ragged as she clenched down on him, making her body seem impossibly tight around his length and his tail. He roared out in pleasure as he came deeply within her, filling her body. "Yessss," he purred. "Take it. Take it all. You can't deny me." He slapped a hand to her hip as he sat back on his heels and pulled her onto his cock over and over again.

Bulma sighed out as he rode out his orgasm on her body, enjoying the way he filled her with a deep satisfaction until he finally slowed to a stop. She let out a gasp as he carefully withdrew from her body and she let herself fall down to the mattress before she rolled over on her side with great effort before she looked up at her mate a few moments before she reached out for him, beckoning him to her side.

Vegeta panted as a shiver ran down his spine and he looked at her uncertainly for a moment. He hoped he hadn't taken it too far. Carefully, he moved to lay next to her, a sigh escaping him as he rested on the impossibly soft mattress. He couldn't even remember how many days he'd gone without sleep. A yawn split his face for a moment before he blinked at her. "What?"

She smiled at him before she curled up against him, sighing out at the warmth and firmness of his muscles against her bare skin. She had missed him something fierce. "It's good to have you back. Are you feeling better? At least a little? I know it's not easy," she said as she kissed at the skin in front of her, breathing him in.

Vegeta sighed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. He smiled softly as she kissed his chest. It was as if he could feel her longing to be close to him, her need to be held. He was sorry now that he had denied her that. "Much better," he rumbled in her ear before he gently pinched her chin, lifting her face to his. "I should've listened to you sooner," he said softly and pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss.

Bulma sighed into his kiss, relaxing against him before she pulled back slightly. "I know you had to work some things out on your own. But the longer you stayed away, the further I thought you were getting from dealing with the situation, from escaping it. I couldn't just sit by and watch you become whatever that was you were spiraling towards," she said. "I am sorry I had to resort to drastic measures, but gods, I missed you."

A tiny smile pulled at his lips. "I missed you, too," he murmured. He grabbed the blankets and pulled them up over them, a soft purr rumbling in his throat as he held his mate. He suddenly and unexplainably felt very affectionate towards her. It had to have been because of what she'd just done for him. She always knew how to handle him, how to give him what he needed. "I suppose I can forgive you," he said airily as though it pained him greatly to say it.

Bulma smiled against him, loving the soft purring coming from him. She felt so content as she leaned over to press a soft kiss to the mark on his neck. "That's good, because there's something else you need to know. The Christmas party is going to be coming up soon. Trunks and Catie, if you can believe it, they've been hounding me to um, invite Hercule to it."

Vegeta groaned and rolled to lay flat on his back. "Anyone but that loud-mouthed idiot," he growled. He knew Hercule had helped them when the aliens invaded, had even somehow saved Catie from self-destruction, but damn it, he didn't want to spend any time around the arrogant jerk. "What they see in him, I will never know. Even Tora visits that moron," he grumbled. He looked over at her and sighed deeply. "I don't suppose you'll let me get away with training that night, hmm?"

Bulma swallowed and pressed her lips thin. "I might, considering who I am thinking about inviting. Anything to keep the peace. Chichi might be here as well," she said before she hurriedly added, "And before you say anything, yeah, I have lost my mind. But if I didn't think she had changed, I wouldn't let her within five hundred miles of this place, but she's not the same woman."

Vegeta's eyes widened at that. "Like hell she's coming here," he snarled. "You've lost your goddamn mind. Good gods, woman, what are you thinking? Are you trying to ruin your own party? Think about what you're saying. You're going to invite that woman here under the same roof as Kakarot? As Goten and Paige? She'll be dead before she even makes it into the living room. No. You're not inviting that bitch here. What on earth would even make you entertain that insane idea?"

"Vegeta, it's just an idea I've been throwing around. I've been having lunch with her, very reservedly I might add. She's trying this time. Really trying. No bullshit. I wouldn't stand for it. If things go south..." She trailed off as she realized that they would most definitely go south. "Yeah, maybe you are right. I want this to be a happy celebration. So many firsts," she said and relaxed into the bed, "Calm down, you've changed my mind."

Vegeta nodded with a snort. "Good. I don't know what could've put the idea in your head in the first place," he said as he settled back and pulled her against his side, trailing his fingertips up and down her back. He frowned as he rolled her words around in his head. "I won't tell you what to do, Bulma. But if you're spending time with her, I want you to be careful. That woman is poison to anything she touches. I don't want to see you end up hurt from trying to be friends with her. She can't be trusted."

Bulma snorted at that, leaning into his touch. "You don't have to remind me. We've seen firsthand the damage that woman can do to the people around her. Those close to her." She shuddered and shook her head. "Let's not talk about her. I just want to spend time with you, make up for lost time. Sleep, sex, whatever you want."

A smile pulled at Vegeta's lips and he turned his head to kiss her softly again. "Get some rest, woman," he said with a mischievous grin. "You're going to need it when I wake up."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Smexy times everywhere! ^_^


	14. Christmas

Chichi stared in the mirror, smoothing down the skirt of the vintage-style cocktail dress. A tiny smile tugged at her lips as she remembered the argument with Madeline over this one. Chichi swore the dress looked far too much like something from nineteen-fifties America and would make her look old and frumpy. Madeline insisted it was a playful, modern take on a vintage style and that Chichi would look fun and sexy, but modest in it. And she had been right.

The crimson colored dress was breathtaking.

It hit her just above the knees, letting her show off her legs and the black-lace high heels she wore. She hardly recognized herself. She let Madeline style her hair, pulling half of it into an updo, the rest of her long raven hair left to fall down her back in big loose curls, a couple thin strands pulled down to frame her face. None of it tight or stuffy, she felt sort of odd preparing to leave the house like that.

With a sigh, she finally turned away from the mirror and headed to find Hercule. Her breath caught in her chest when she saw him in the foyer, wearing his charcoal colored suit with a silver tie. She felt giddy, nervous butterflies in her stomach as she approached him. Goodness, he smelled as delicious as he looked. She thought she could get lost in the light, warm scent of his cologne. "Ready to go?" she asked, drawing his attention to her.

Hercule turned, his breath catching as he saw Chichi walking towards him, a ruby beauty that was all creamy legs, high heels, and a shy smile that made him want to think about skipping the party and just take her back upstairs. Though, it seemed a shame to waste all the effort she had put into getting ready. He bowed slightly at the waist towards her, reaching out and taking her hand so he could press a kiss to her knuckles. "You look absolutely ravishing tonight, Little Lady."

She gave a little giggle and blushed. "As do you," she answered. She reached for her coat and pulled it on. She was excited to go out with him and meet his friends. She wasn't sure where they were going exactly, he'd just said that he'd been invited to a Christmas party and he wanted to bring her as his date. She took his arm when he offered it and let him walk her out to the waiting limo. She settled back into the leather seat and smoothed her skirt again. "I'm excited to meet your friends. Are you sure it's okay if I come? I hope they like me," she said nervously as the car pulled away from the house.

Hercule smiled at her as the limo started up. "If you can count only about four of them being my friends. Well, maybe six, their kids count for something. They said I could invite someone along and you were my first and only thought," he said as he held her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles as he admired her beauty. He thought about all who would be there. Tora warned him that Goku and the others who also knew the truth about him would be there. At least he wouldn't have to put on airs for the night. "It should be good. It's a big to do or so I'm told."

She felt a little better, knowing that she wouldn't be the only one there who didn't know everyone. She laced her fingers with his and scooted a little closer to his side as she rested her head on his shoulder. The smile on her lips just didn't seem to want to go away. It didn't matter where they were as long as she was with him. "It sounds like fun," she said. "And if it's not, we can always sneak away. Since not too many people there will know us, we can slip out without anyone noticing," she said and gave an ornery little giggle.

Hercule chuckled. "Well, you maybe. Me, I imagine they will be watching like a hawk. Not in the good way either," he said, tucking her closer to his side. "I don't care, if it's not up to snuff, we will slip away. I think I might have a present or two for you under the tree when we get home anyway," he teased her as he lifted her chin, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her lips, mindful of her makeup. He loved the way she'd stopped wearing such heavy makeup; what she wore now looked much more natural.

She let him kiss her, long and slow, making her heart melt. "You didn't have to get me anything. Really. You've done too much for me as it is," she said softly, not pulling away from him just yet. Gods, she loved being close with him like this, the way he made her heart race, yet made her feel so cherished and safe at the same time. That smile played across her lips again as she trailed her fingertips down the rough line of his jaw. She looked up as the car finally slowed to a stop and felt the blood drain out of her face. "Wh-what are we doing at Capsule Corporation?" she stammered, her stomach clenching painfully. Her first instinct was to run. Run as far away from that place and never look over her shoulder. Oh surely this wasn't the party he planned to take her to.

Hercule chuckled, not realizing her distress as he got out of the car, offering a hand to her. "This is where the party is. Trunks, one of my friends, said it was just between family and friends. To think such a big company has such humble family views." He looked over his shoulder with admiration in his eyes. "I'll have to send an extra gift. I'm sure the kitten Catie has needs a cat tree or something."

Chichi's grip on his hand tightened as she stepped out of the car with him. Oh she didn't want to go in there. She tugged on his hand, trying to pull him back towards the car. "Let's just go home. I don't think this is such a good idea," she said and turned towards the limo, but the driver had already left as soon as they were out of the vehicle. "Shit," she hissed under her breath. She had to do something. She couldn't go in there with him, couldn't face all of them now. Goku would be in there. Gohan. Goten! Oh, she couldn't face them. Not now. And who knew if they would bring up her past, if Hercule would find out the horrible truth about who she was from one of them. That wasn't how she wanted him to find out. She wanted to tell him herself.

She swallowed nervously and tried to give him an innocent, nonchalant smile. "What about a walk through the park? I hear it's all done up in Christmas lights. It's supposed to be really beautiful. Really romantic," she said, hoping with every ounce of her being that he would take her up on it, even though she knew that was unlikely.

Hercule blinked at her, looking in the direction of the park. It was a few blocks down and indeed lit up with lights. "The night's still young," he said, catching the whiff of something going on, but he didn't press the issue. "If you want, we can duck out early and go for a walk in there, but Tora and the others said they were going to come and beat me up if I didn't at least show my face. And I promised Zane, Trunks and Catie's kid, that I'd get him an autograph. And maybe tickets to a show…" He trailed off. "You really don't want to go?"

Chichi fought to control her breathing. Maybe if she played stupid and acted like she didn't know any of them, they would do the same for her. But she couldn't very well act like that around Bulma. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to make an appearance," she said, twisting her fingers even more into his. "Remember my friend I went to lunch with? Bulma? She owns Capsule Corp. So, ah, I guess we both know someone at this party," she said with a nervous laugh as they walked up to the front door.

Hercule's eyes widened as he led them up the steps through the front gates. "Bulma. Bulma Briefs is the person you had lunch with!? Wow! Small world, huh? Do you know the rest of the family?" he asked, scolding himself for not asking more about her past and her present, her friends. "Sorry I didn't ask this sooner. I'm not the best at gossip or small talk."

"Oh, I used to know them," she answered, her heart racing faster and faster with every step they took towards the house. "It's been a very long time." She left it at that. For a moment, she thought she might puke from sheer nerves. This was it. It was over. Hercule was going to find out about her past at someone else's hand and there was nothing she could do about it except sit back and watch like some sort of horrible train wreck in slow motion. There was no stopping it. Her knees shook as he rang the doorbell, her blood turning to ice. She couldn't have run for it if her life depended on it. She was frozen in fear as she waited to see who would answer the door. 'Let it be Bulma, let it be Bulma, let it be Bulma,' she silently prayed. Her heart sank when she realized that the Fates were enjoying a cruel joke at her expense; Vegeta answered the door.

The Saiyan prince narrowed his eyes at the couple standing on the threshold to his home, gave a disapproving grunt, and slammed the door in their faces.

Trunks held back a face palm as his father closed the door on who ever had been knocking. He sensed Hercule's energy so that made sense. He shook his head. "Father! He's not that bad, you need to give him a chance," he scolded as he walked over and opened the door again, smiling widely at Hercule. He was more excited to see him than he thought he would be. "Well look at you! Looking pretty good since the business with the aliens is over," he said as he let his eyes drift to the woman on Hercule's arm and his face fell. He forced his jaw to remain shut as he forced a smile at Hercule and stepped aside. "Please, come in." What the hell was Chichi doing there?!

Chichi clung to Hercule's arm for support as Trunks let them into the house. At least he hadn't slammed the door in their faces as well. She expected as much from Vegeta, if not more. She was sort of surprised he hadn't killed her on sight. It was as if her whole body hurt from being this close to them, to the people who used to be her family. And for one wild moment, she thought she was going to faint.

"HERCULE!" Tora roared with delight when he saw the other man enter the living room. He jumped to his feet and practically pounced on the champ, giving him a tight hug and a slap on the back. "Good to see you, man. I was starting to wonder if you were going to make it or not. Thought I'd have to swing by that big fancy mansion o' yours and drag you out in the snow," he teased. He blinked at Chichi, thinking he should've known her from somewhere, but couldn't quite place her, so he left it alone. "And you even brought a date, you dog."

Hercule laughed and hugged the other man tightly, clapping him on the back as well. "As if you could keep me away. Though I must confess I really just came to see Marron, Zane, and the kitten," he chuckled as he looked around. "Where is the little trio?"

"Ah, they're scampering around here somewhere," Tora answered dismissively. "Don't worry. You'll get your chance to see everyone. The night is young and it's not easy to get away from this lot early." He turned to the room, beaming now that everyone was there. He couldn't help himself; he loved this earthling holiday. "Told ya he'd come!" he grinned. "Come on, make yourself comfortable. Most of 'em don't bite."

Sabriena's smile faded when she saw Hercule. "Oh good gods, I thought Catie was joking about inviting him," she grumbled and leaned against Goku's side, heaving a sigh. "Ah well, should make for some good entertainment at least." She narrowed her eyes at the woman beside the world champion. "Who's that with him?" she asked. "She looks familiar." A slow burn of anger and disbelief swept through her veins. "No," she breathed, sitting up straighter. "It can't be."

"What?" Tien asked and looked over at the woman with Hercule. Even though she looked so different, he recognized Chichi in an instant. "What's she doing here?" he growled, a protectiveness rising up in his chest. If that bitch so much as looked at his husband, wife, son, or grandson wrong, he would throw her out on her ass in the snow. His hand found Goku's and squeezed it, his energy level rising as he watched the dark-haired woman.

Goku had been sulking that Sabriena and Tien hadn't let him bring the rooster with them that evening. He had been sure he could have found some little red scarf and hat for him to wear, but apparently that was crossing a line. He looked up when he felt his two mates tense and his breath caught in his throat. He was on his feet in the next moment. He felt his anger, his desperation to be rid of her clawing at him. Why did she keep showing up? Would he really never be free of her? He remembered what his son said she did, or tried to do, at the alien compound and he couldn't stop the growl that came from his throat. "What are you doing here, Chichi?"

Chichi gave a start at the sound of her ex-husband's voice. So there would be no such luck of anyone pretending not to know her. She cleared her throat nervously, refusing to meet Goku's eyes. What did she say? She hadn't exactly been invited, except by Hercule. She twisted her fingers into his, hoping he didn't notice the way her hand shook. "I was invited as his date," she answered. She finally looked over at Goku and wanted to shrink back against Hercule at the pure hatred she saw in his eyes. She knew she deserved it, but what surprised her was the fear that automatically curled around her heart at his anger. Had Maxwell really trained her to be that scared of any man who lost his temper? Apparently so, she thought to herself as she watched Goku with a wary eye. He'd never raised a hand to her in anger before. But then again, it would serve her right and Gramma's curse was still going. She didn't know what to think.

Hercule was a bit surprised to see the looks that were being shot at Chichi and not himself. Who was she that everyone in there seemed to know about her? He let his arm wrap around her small shoulders, pulling her close. "Don't worry Goku, I'll keep her out of trouble," he said lightly, hoping to take the tension in the room down a few notches. It was then that he remembered that Goku was her ex-husband. He could've slapped himself. He hadn't even thought about it when he'd invited her along.

Bulma swallowed hard as she heard Chichi's voice and she peered around the corner into the room to see that her ears really hadn't failed her. Her mind was blown, not only was Chichi staying at Hercule's, but she had even been invited as his date. Her eyes darted around the room, wondering if there was going to be a fight.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed and he made a beeline for Bulma, grabbing her by her arm and pulling her out of view of their guests. "I told you NO," he hissed, his tail twitching irritatedly. "I agreed to let that moron into the house because I wasn't going to listen to Catherine throw a goddamn fit. But I told you not to invite that woman." He couldn't believe Chichi had the audacity to show her face there. After everything she'd put everyone through, she had some nerve.

Bulma threw up her hands. "I didn't invite her. I really didn't! I didn't send her an invitation and Tora said he had just invited Hercule. I never would have dreamed he would have brought her as his plus one! Gods, do you think I would do this on today of all days? Before this is over, someone is going to get hurt. I can see the look in Goku's eyes and Goten's. Did you see the way they were glaring at her?! Gods help us when Gohan gets wind that she's here."

Vegeta stared at his wife for a moment as if trying to determine if she was lying to him or not. He knew better. If Bulma had invited Chichi, she would've said so and told him to suck it up and deal with it. But how on earth Chichi ended up with Hercule, he never would've guessed. He peered over his shoulder around the corner to look into the living room. "Well, it'll make for one hell of a story later, I'm sure," he murmured, watching Goku as he stared down the woman before him.

Bulma cringed. "That or at the very least something to tell over spiked eggnog for sure. Gods, I do not need this right now. Can you make sure to stop Goku or anyone else if they try to do something stupid? That is, of course, if you don't beat them to it." She gave him a critical look, "I'll see if I can't pull Chichi away from the main part of the room. Less chance of someone maiming her if she's talking with me."

A slow grin spread across Vegeta's face. "I hope someone tries to pull something stupid. This may be the best Christmas party you've thrown yet," he said as he crossed his arms over his chest, his smile only spreading wider. "No, I will not stop Kakarot or anyone else for that matter. Now where's the popcorn? I'm sure this is going to be a show."

Goten was frozen in his chair, his son in his arms and his mate at his side. "The fuck is she doing here?" he hissed to Paige. It had been years since he'd seen Chichi and he had absolutely no desire to see her now. He shifted uncomfortably, rolling his shoulders a bit. It was like he could still feel the biting sting of her switch and the strange numbness the scars had left behind all at once. His skin was absolutely crawling at the sight of her. He curled his arms protectively around the sleeping baby. "I'll die before I let her see him," he snarled quietly.

Paige reached out, letting her hand rest on Goten's shoulder, brushing against the mark on his neck affectionately. She looked down at the child in his arms, making sure he was still sleeping before she narrowed her eyes over at Chichi. The Champ she could care less about, but that woman. She made her blood boil. She watched as Bulma went over to her and "stole" her away from Hercule's side and led her to the kitchen to help with the food before Goku could say anything more to her. "Gods, I hope she doesn't poison the meal," she said as she exchanged a look with her parents who looked like they were getting ready to spit nails.

Piccolo shook his head slowly at Paige. "Don't get blood on the Christmas presents. Bulma will never forgive you," he said in a low voice. He sighed slowly through his nose as he felt the energy within the room change. Everyone seemed tense, like they were ready for some huge dramatic scene from Chichi. Who could blame them? It was what they'd all come to expect from her. Well, everyone that was, save for Tora, who looked totally confused.

"Did I miss something?" Tora asked, looking around at everyone as he scratched at the base of his ponytail.

Hercule exchanged a look with his friend and shrugged. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that was awkward," he said quietly before a meow from between his legs broke the awkward silence. He smiled as he looked down at Catie's kitten, though it was much bigger than the last time he had seen it. He grinned as he leaned down and scooped it up. "Good heavens, this thing is growing like a little weed!" he said as he scratched its head and he looked around for the other people he had come to visit.

Catie managed a smile and walked over to Hercule to give him a hug. "That's cause I feed it a healthy diet of chocolate and miracle grow," she teased. She shook her head disapprovingly as the little cat purred loudly and crawled all over Hercule's shoulders, kneading his suit with its claws. She looked at Hercule again, tempted to shake her head at him as well. "You sure know how to make an entrance, don't you?"

Hercule laughed, hugging her back tightly as the little ball of fluff kneaded his suit. "Oh you know me. Go big or go home. How have you been holding up? I swear it's been a hot minute since you dropped by to see me! Beginning to think you don't like me," he teased and laughed as Zane ran up. "Same goes for you."

Jenny watched with wide eyes as everything unfolded so fast before her. "I have to be dreaming," she breathed and looked to her mate before she looked back at the scene. With Chichi out of the room, the hostility in the air had gone down substantially and she let herself relax a fraction as she watched Hercule with Zane as Tora and Catie watched on. Trunks, Marron and Eighteen wandered over a moment later. "I must have missed a memo."

Piccolo nodded. "This whole evening just turned bizarre," he agreed, watching the world champion with a keen eye. Like the others, he had never cared for Hercule, but the man was harmless enough. But to bring Chichi to their party, well, he didn't know what to think about that. "If she stirs up one ounce of trouble, I'm turning Paige loose on her," he threatened. "And gods help us all when Gohan gets here. He's still furious with her for what she did."

"Dad's running late," Phoenix said as he sat next to Goten, one arm around Alice's shoulders. "Something about having to stay late at work, but they'll be here soon." He gave Alice a mischievous grin and wagged his eyebrows. "Should I tell Grandma Chichi that you and I mated? You know what a fan she is of Nameks. We could watch her head explode. It'd be like some sick Christmas piñata!"

Alice raised an eyebrow at him before she tilted her head to the side, closing her eyes for a moment. The feelings in the room were... not good to say the least. "I'm not certain. It seems as though Chichi is making some strides towards changing her view on the world and herself as well."

"Yeah right!" Phoenix laughed skeptically. "That old woman is so set in her ways, there's no force in this world or the next that could make her change. She's fucking evil, Alice, and you know it. She tried to hand Grandpa over to the aliens. Can you imagine what that would've done to him if they had somehow caught him?" He lowered his voice to hiss in her ear, "You know Vegeta hasn't been the same since. Think about what Grandpa would be like now if he'd gone through whatever it is they did to Vegeta." He pulled back and crossed his arms, his joking nature gone for the moment. "Fuck that bitch. I'm serious. Let's see if it's physically possible to make someone's head blow up."

Alice reached out and entwined their fingers together, willing him to feel some of what she felt in that moment. "Language," she said calmly as she also drew the strength from him to settled herself. The world, as a whole, was at peace for the moment, but the tensions and feelings now contained in the building had shifted from warm to cold in a matter of seconds. She turned her gaze to Hercule, smiling softly at the small gathering of people. It was honest and pure. She could see the affection for the man in the eyes of Catie and Marron. Trunks and Tora laughed with him as if he were a long time old friend.

"Language," Phoenix grumbled and exaggeratedly yanked his hand away from Alice. "Don't you tell me to watch my language, woman!" His eyes went wide at her look and he pursed his lips before he gave her a big, sheepish grin. "Sorry, honey," he said and took her hand in his own again, kissing her cheek before he nuzzled against her shoulder. He batted his eyes innocently. "Love youuuuuu," he snickered as his tail curled affectionately around her wrist. Gods, how he loved to tease her. It was so easy to get her to give him that look, the one that she'd been giving them since they were kids that clearly conveyed that she did not approve of his antics. He nibbled on her shoulder and purred loudly.

"Pathetic," she said quietly, enjoying the warmth of him against her and the way his purr rumbled through her. She let herself relax back into the chair as she observed the goings on. Goku and Sabriena were on edge, as was Vegeta. Her parents were far from happy and she only knew too well what would happen once Gohan showed up. "It isn't going to be a fun party once Gohan realizes Chichi is here. Not after what happened."

Phoenix nodded slowly. "I know," he murmured, his lips brushing against her shoulder as he spoke. "Dad hates her now. This just smacks of some kind of soap opera." He sighed and laid his head on her shoulder, a small frown pulling at his lips. His father had every right to be angry with Chichi. It was her actions that contributed to his mother's death. Needless to say, Phoenix was no fan of hers either. "You wanna go home?" he asked suddenly, turning his face to look at her. "I know you don't like being around emotions like this. It's too stressful for you. We can go if you want."

Alice thought about it seriously for a moment but shook her head. "It seems I am needed here. The rest of the world is fine. I will see what I can do to make sure this doesn't turn into a blood bath." She sighed and focused around them. "And here I was hoping for a break from work."

He sighed and moved his tail to curl around her waist, tugging her closer to him. "I know, baby," he murmured, trying to comfort her a bit. He'd hoped she would have a free night as well. She deserved one. But now it looked like that wasn't going to happen. He tensed, feeling the familiar energies approaching the house. "Get ready. Dad's almost here."

* * *

"Bulma, I should go," Chichi said quietly as she helped in the kitchen. "When he invited me to a friend's Christmas party, I never dreamed it would be yours. I wouldn't have come if I'd known. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your evening. I know how important your Christmas party is to you." Her hands shook as she helped cut up some extra veggies for one of the trays. Why hadn't she thought to ask Hercule beforehand where they were going? Her hand slipped and she hissed as the knife sliced her thumb. "Damn it," she whispered and sucked the digit, trying not to wince.

Bulma frowned and turned to the sink, running the water. "No, it's alright," she said as she guided the other woman over there to hold her hand under the water. "I had been thinking about inviting you anyway. Vegeta was less than pleased with the idea. I know it's crazy now, but when Gohan gets here, it's going to be a shit storm." She sighed out, "Unless you've tried to take steps to apologize?"

Chichi frowned and shook her head. "I haven't yet. I know the curse is still working. Things still aren't going exactly right," she answered, watching the water run over her bleeding thumb. "I thought, you know, maybe it would be better to wait and see if I could break the curse before I tried to talk to any of you. Like I said before, I don't want any of you bothered by it." She sighed sadly as she finally pulled her hand back and pressed a towel to it. "I don't know what to do, Bulma." She eyed the other woman warily. "Why Gohan?" she asked. "I thought Goku and Goten would be the ones I really needed to stay away from. Goku's already blown up at me."

Bulma shook her head. "Chichi, that curse isn't going to get better until you've done the best that you can to make amends. The wrongs that you've brought on them is a great deal why you were cursed in the first place." She sighed and rubbed at her face. "As for Gohan, he was the last person who believed in you, who held out for you to come around. He believed there was something in you that could be redeemed. You threw that back in his face when you sold out Goku to the aliens for your own betterment. When he, Piccolo, Vegeta and Jenny had suffered through so much just to keep Goku safe without thought for themselves. You didn't even give up Goku to help them in their situations. They were being tortured, Chichi. The moment you saw them, you could have done something to ease their pain, but you didn't. And then in your last moments, you threw Lindsey under the bus."

Chichi bowed her head in guilt. "You're right," she muttered. She felt her stomach clench even more. Oh, she hated this feeling. This nervous, self-loathing, apprehensive feeling that coursed through every fiber of her being. She nodded her head. "You're right. I need to tell everyone how sorry I am. I just need to suck it up and do it. I've procrastinated long enough. Maybe I can talk to Gohan when he gets here. Maybe I'll get lucky and he'll be in a good enough mood to listen to me for a moment." Her head whipped around when she heard her granddaughter Scarlett's voice loudly announce that they were here. "Oh hell," she breathed.

Bulma reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Like everything, it's going to take time." She pressed her lips thin. Gohan was still very thin, but he was on his way to a full recovery. His Saiyan body had nearly been beyond repair. "I can go get him, break it to him first and then let you two have a moment alone. Maybe it won't be as bad." She paused and looked down at the ground before she looked back up, "It's not going to be pretty."

Chichi drew a long breath to calm herself, but it did little to help. She gave a nod as she exhaled slowly. "Okay," she said, her voice shaking. "Thank you, Bulma. It'd be best not to make a scene. I'll just wait here while you go get him." She watched as Bulma left the kitchen and she leaned back against the counter, still nursing the cut on her thumb. She was terrified now to see her oldest son. He had been the last one on her mind, her concerns more about Goku and particularly Goten. She looked up when she heard the kitchen door open, her blood turning to ice as she saw Gohan. She couldn't even speak a word, she was so frightened by the look of pure hatred she saw in his eyes.

Gohan had never gone through a set of emotions so quickly before in his life. He had been relieved to finally make it to the party, confused and a little amused at the fact that Trunks really had gone through with inviting Hercule. Then Bulma pulled him aside to tell him that Hercule had brought his mother as a date. Anger burned in his blood then and a numbness swept through him as he followed Bulma back to the kitchen. "You," he hissed as the door closed behind him and all manner of pain and agony swept through him. He remembered her striding past his cell, hardly sparing him a look as she was led to a better room because she ratted out his father. Then her begging for his forgiveness as she was dragged away to her death. "It's your fault. It's your fault they slaughtered Lindsey."

"Gohan, I'm sorry," Chichi said quickly in a pleading tone. She hadn't even thought about the fact that her actions had led to his mate's death. There was no way he would listen to anything she said. She shrank back against the counter, sucking her lip for a moment. "I know what I did was wrong. Honey, I'm so sorry." She cringed as she looked into his eyes and she knew that if looks could kill, she'd be dead several times over by now. She looked down at her hands, squeezing the towel tighter around her thumb. She didn't know what to say. She wished she'd been prepared for all of this.

"Sorry isn't bringing her back, is it?!" he practically shouted at her. He hadn't seen Chichi since the aliens dragged her away to publically humiliate and execute her. "Of course you're sorry. Anything to make life better for yourself. And here you are digging around in the pockets of another unsuspecting man. Go back to Maxwell. You deserve him. You don't deserve anything. Not from me, not from the rest of this family. Lindsey would still be alive if you hadn't been so damn selfish! I'm not forgiving you for that!"

Chichi's heart broke as he accused her of being a gold digger. "It's not like that with Hercule!" she cried, feeling her eyes burn. "I know you don't have a reason to believe me, but it's true. I didn't seek him out. He rescued me from Maxwell. I…" She trailed off and swallowed harshly. It didn't matter what she said, Gohan wasn't going to hear any of it. She bowed her head. "You're right. I do deserve Maxwell. I just wanted a chance to change, but I don't even deserve that." She fought the burning in her eyes as she realized he was right. She was never going to be able to make up for her past because no one was going to give her a chance.

Gohan paced the kitchen, feeling like he was on the edge of something, his energy rising faster than he would care to admit. "He rescued you? Let me guess, he doesn't even know who you are or what you've done. You are such a coward. It makes me sick. I should go out there and tell him the truth about you. Then he will drop you right back off where you deserve to be. You are poison. Everything around you wilts and rots away into nothing." He took a deep, shaking breath as he felt tears come to his eyes and he turned away from her as he leaned against the counter.

"Gohan, please don't," she pleaded. She felt frantic in that moment. If he told Hercule, she would certainly end up out on the street. He wouldn't tolerate being around her if he knew. "I haven't told him yet. I wanted to be the one to tell him, I just haven't figured out how yet." She could see the pained look on his face, the way he fought his tears. "Gohan," she said and carefully reached for him, laying a gentle hand on his arm, but she jumped backwards as he instantly yanked his arm out of her grasp. "I'm so sorry. I don't know how else to say it."

"Yes, I imagine coming up with a believable lie would be hard in this case. If he is so good to you, doesn't he deserve the truth? He should be able to make the choice if he wants to be around a lying, pathetic person like you, who would sell her own children if it meant she could have the better seat." He was shaking, his arm burned where she had touched him. "It should have been you," he said quietly before he found his voice and rounded on his mother, "IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN _YOU_ LAYING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS WITH A BULLET HOLE IN YOUR HEAD!"

Chichi shrank back again, feeling her own tears brim in her eyes. "I know," she whispered.

Catie heard the commotion and carefully opened the door to the kitchen, peeking in to see Gohan and Chichi. She felt guilty; it was hers and Trunks' idea to invite Hercule. But they'd had no idea that Chichi would be the one he would bring as his date. "Gohan," she said softly as she approached her friend, "Come on. You don't need this stress right now. Let's go somewhere for a minute where we can talk," she suggested as she placed a hand on his back, feeling him shaking with rage. "She's not worth your breath," she said, looking pointedly at Chichi.

Gohan bit his lip so hard he tasted blood and let himself be led away from the kitchen. He could feel eyes on him, but he didn't care. He had been holding that in for a long time and in some way it had felt glorious to get it out. He let Catie lead him away to the corner with Paige and Goten and he forced a smile at the baby in Goten's arms.

Catie sat next to Gohan, rubbing gently at his back. "Gohan, I'm so sorry," she said softly. "If I'd known that he was going to bring her, I wouldn't have let Trunks and Tora invite Hercule." She exchanged a look with Trunks and shook her head slowly. This was supposed to be a happy holiday and it was going to be hard enough on Gohan as it was. It was his first Christmas without his mate. And now for him to face his mother, well, it all seemed like unnecessary drama. She wanted to help calm him down, but she wouldn't dare say so. Maybe it was good for him to let some of that out, to get it out of his system.

Gohan shook his head, rubbing at his hair. Every detail of the invasion brought back to light, the moments he had with Lindsey before she had been forcefully ripped away from him. He didn't know what to think, what to say. He wanted to spend the party with his friends and family, grieving with them, celebrating with them. "It's not like he knew anyway. She's tricking him, just like before. Someone should warn him."

Catie nodded her agreement. "One of us will. Me or Trunks or Tora. Tora and Hercule are the closest. I'll talk to Tora about it. I don't want to see Hercule get hurt because of her like everyone else who's been around her. He doesn't deserve that shit," she growled, venom dripping from her voice as she thought about Chichi and all the horrible things she'd done over the years. "That bitch is poison. We've all said it. But I think Hercule might listen to Tora better than anyone else."

Hercule exchanged at look with Tora and once again, knew that he wasn't the only one who was lost. He was already putting together a good idea of who these people were and he suddenly felt like he knew very little about the woman he had brought with him that night. He felt hurt and confused.

Tora blinked in surprise; everyone had heard Gohan's words. His heart sank as he realized who Hercule's date was. He remembered her now. She used to be Kakarot's mate. He'd seen her that first day he'd met Goku, when he went to the younger Saiyan's house before the war to ask him to switch sides. "Ohhhhhhh," he muttered to himself. "Not good." He rubbed at his face, trying to think of a way to diffuse the situation. He dragged his hand down to look around at the room. "So, ah, who's hungry? That food smells awesome, Bulma!" he grinned, trying to play stupid although he knew he failed miserably.

Goku looked around the room, the silence stretching on and he finally stood up. "Yeah, let's eat," he said, though at that particular moment his appetite seemed to escape him and he looked to his mates a moment before he glanced over at Hercule. He hated to say it, seeing how much Tora and the others enjoyed his company, "Seems like it's a bad night though for some people to be here."

Tora's shoulders slumped a bit, his tail hanging sadly behind him. He felt like he'd ruined everyone's Christmas by inviting his friend. He just knew that Hercule didn't have any family to spend the holiday with, save for Madeline and Ryan, and he'd thought it'd be nice to invite him to the party. He made a mental note not to do that again. He drew a breath and clapped Hercule on the shoulder. "C'mon. I don't know about you, but I'm starving," he said, steering the other man towards the dining room.

Hercule let himself be led away towards the dining room. Platters of food were already being sat out and there was something about the warmth of the place that seemed to lift the mood, if just a fraction. "You are eventually going to tell me what's going on, right? I mean, I know I'm slow, but I'm starting to put two and two together."

Tora gave a grim nod. "Not tonight," he answered. "It's a party. We're supposed to be having fun. I don't want to get into all of that right now." He paused to pull out a chair for Eighteen next to him and carefully pushed her up to the table before he looked at Hercule again. "How about I swing by your place tomorrow and we'll talk? But maybe you should try to talk to her first. I don't know her, not really. Just, you know, give her a chance to tell you."

Hercule nodded. "That sounds like a plan to me," he said as he watched everyone gathering in and taking seats at the table. There were a few there he recognized, or at least he thought he did, that had been there for the Cell Tournament. There was no pretending to be had at that party. Half of him was grateful for that, the other half wished he could just make a distraction to have them all forget whatever they were so furious about.

Chichi wandered out into the dining room, not making eye contact with anyone. She quickly took a seat next to Hercule and looked down at her now bandaged thumb. This whole thing was a nightmare. Maybe they could just eat their dinner and quickly duck out afterwards. She longed to just go home to Hercule's house and forget this entire thing. She sighed. She knew that wasn't going to happen. He was going to expect an explanation.

Hercule reached out and gave Chichi's shoulder what he hoped was a comforting squeeze. He wasn't sure about this, about her. This wasn't how he imagined the evening going. The woman had known as soon as they had pulled up what was in this house, but instead of being honest with him, she suffered in silence and now it seemed the rest of them were going to do the same thing. He watched as the food was passed around, everyone ignoring Chichi as if she didn't exist. Bulma was the only one making an effort.

Chichi ate mechanically, barely tasting the food. She couldn't enjoy it, not with the atmosphere around her, the anger she could feel from everyone around her. It made her stomach hurt and she didn't even feel like eating. She took very little comfort from Hercule's touch, which made her even sadder. He'd always made her feel better, but here, even he couldn't fix this.

Goten didn't dare look at the woman across the table from him for fear of making an even bigger scene than his brother had. His son was safe in a bassinette behind him and his mate, sleeping soundly. Oh how he wanted to say something, though. He wanted to pull up his shirt and show her the scars were gone and laugh in her face. To tell her that she didn't rule his life anymore, that the things she'd done didn't affect him. But he knew that was a lie; just seeing her made his whole body ache with a numb hatred. She still had a hold over him. And that just made him hate her all the more.

He could feel his mother's energy rising as she sat next to him, trying to enjoy her dinner. Sabriena's movements were jerky and she ate quickly, unlike her usual self who took the time to enjoy a meal and savor it, appreciate the time that went into preparing it. She seemed to want the night to be over as much as everyone else.

The dining room was painfully quiet. Only the sounds of silverware clinking against plates could be heard. That bothered Goten. Usually these gatherings were so full of laughter and happy conversation. Now they were all forced to sit there in silence, none of them wanting to say a word in front of the judgmental bitch who'd managed to weasel her way back into their lives somehow.

A rebelliousness bubbled up in him. Maybe Mr. Satan didn't know the sort of woman Chichi was, but Goten thought it would greatly amuse him to show the celebrity. His eyes darted around the table quickly, looking at Phoenix, then at Rowan, before he looked down at his plate. What could he say to get her riled up? A smirk touched his lips as he thought about something that his mother had always disapproved of.

"Hey babe," he said to Paige without looking up from his food. "You wanna go with me to the tattoo shop this weekend? I was thinking about finishing out the sleeve on my arm. Take it down to my wrist." He already had one koi fish tattoo that covered his left arm from elbow to shoulder, a tattoo he wore proudly, done in orange and blue.

Paige looked up at him, seeing the smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Oh he was a terrible, terrible person and she loved him for it. She had been more than happy to support him marking himself of his own choosing. "That sounds like a fantastic idea. You should have two more koi put in, one representing myself and the other for the baby." She teased him, "We should see if we can get baby's first tattoo as well. Something to go well with that bright green hair of his."

Goten shook his head. "No, I'd never leave a mark on my son," he said darkly, casting an angry glance across the table at Chichi. He looked at his nephew the next moment, "Phoenix, you wanna come with us?" He grinned as Phoenix nodded his head, too busy eating his food to speak. "Dad won't mind watching the baby, will you?" he asked, looking across Sabriena to Goku. "I'd invite you to come along but, you know, needles," he snickered.

Goku perked up at the mention of watching the little one. "Baby?" he asked and looked eagerly towards the bassinette and he was oblivious to anything else. "You won't get the little one back anytime soon!" He frowned over at Phoenix and Alice, "Come on, when are you guys going to have a baby? The more the better. I just wish there was a way to keep them small for longer," he lamented.

Alice was having a hard time focusing on her meal. This was more stressful than she had ever thought possible and she scolded herself for being less than prepared. She was having a harder time sending out good energy into the room. Almost as if there was a force trying to prevent her from doing so. She wondered, briefly, if it were the curse placed upon Chichi that was causing her so much trouble.

Chichi didn't even look at them as they spoke. She felt as if they were trying to get a rise out of her and she wasn't going to give them any more ammo to hate her. She'd never approved of tattoos, but Goten was a grown man and he could do as he pleased. She was done with judging others. Done with it. And the comment about leaving a mark on his son didn't escape her either. She barely listened as Phoenix argued with Goku that they weren't ready for children yet. It made little difference to her now; it wasn't like she would ever get to see the babies anyway. She wasn't a part of this family and she hadn't been for a very long time.

Goten was almost disappointed when Chichi didn't react. Ah well. To hell with it. Maybe she'd finally learned to keep her damn mouth shut for a change. He finished off his food and pushed his plate away. "That was awesome, Bulma," he said with a smile. "Say, you didn't put up any mistletoe this year, did you? I know how you like to cause problems at these parties," he teased.

Bulma smiled, laughing lightly at his question, "Oh, you know me. It's up and about so watch where you step. You just might share a kiss with Phoenix or your brother. Also, not to mention Goku usually hunts the stuff down so he can trick Tien and Sabriena into kissing him all night long. Randy bastard."

Goku stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. "Hey! I have to take advantage of it!" he protested as he grinned at his two mates, leaning into Tien's shoulder while he gave Sabriena's knee a squeeze.

"Aw baby, you don't need an excuse to kiss us," Sabriena purred and cupped his cheek, pulling him closer to plant a long, lingering kiss on his lips. "Be good and Tien and I will give you an early Christmas present when we get home," she said with a wink. She'd caught on to Goten's little game, trying to make Chichi as uncomfortable as possible until the older woman snapped. She turned and kissed Tien as well before she got to her feet. "Let's go unwrap some presents!" she grinned brightly.

Gohan could barely eat as he sat next to Catie and his younger brother. Anger still sang through his veins as he thought over everything. He missed Lindsey something fierce in that moment and he wished deeply that she were there with him in that moment. If nothing else but to rub it in Chichi's face. He would have to find her in his dreams that night and let her know of what unfolded if she didn't already know. That was his only solace, that he could still see his mate in his dreams. Still hold her, talk to her. Not every night did he manage it, but something told him that tonight he would. And that calmed him just enough to stop him from another outburst towards his mother.

Chichi hesitated to get out of her seat as everyone got up to head back to the living room. She caught Hercule's hand before he could get up. "Mark," she whispered to him, "can we just go home? Please?"

Hercule waited while the dining room cleared out before he looked at her, seeing the fear in her eyes. "Chichi, why didn't you say something when we pulled up?" He rubbed at his face, feeling a headache starting to take root. The hostility in the room was palpable and he was sorely tempted to take their leave for the night. He supposed he could have Tora and the others come over later. Or perhaps he would come back in the morning to do their gift exchange. He was burning to know what had caused so much hatred towards her. "We can go, but when we get back to the house, you have to promise to tell me what is going on."

"I know," Chichi answered. She already knew she was going to have to tell him the truth. She chewed her lip for a moment, casting a glance at the door to the living room. "You had gifts to give them, though. We can wait. I'll just, you know, keep quiet." She met his eyes, feeling horribly guilty in that moment. "I should have said something when we got here. I was just sort of in shock, I guess. I didn't know what to do. I promise, when we get home, I'll tell you everything."

"I'm going to take a wild shot in the dark and say that this whole thing has something to do with your curse. Why you were cursed in the first place?" He sighed at her slight nod and he rubbed at his face. "Gods, my nerves are on edge. I feel like everyone here wants to have a go at you. Not sure if sticking around is a good thing," he said sadly as he thought over the gifts he had brought. He'd finally had the six shelters dedicated to each of them and he had planned, among other things, for them to receive their certificates verifying that.

"It's up to you. I know you were really looking forward to tonight. If you want to stay, we can. Maybe they'll be distracted with their gifts and, you know, forget about me for a minute," she said softly. "If I'd known this was the Christmas party you were taking me to, I would have told you beforehand. Hercule, I'm so sorry. This whole night is ruined and it's all my fault. They hate me. But that shouldn't affect your friendship with them."

Catie stuck her head in the door and smiled at Hercule, ignoring Chichi. "Hey Champ, c'mon, we don't wanna start without you," she said. "But if you end up with a box that meows at you, give it back. I think Zane is trying to give away my cat," she snickered.

Hercule couldn't stop the laugh that made it past his lips and he nodded. "I'll be right there," he said before he turned back to Chichi. "Okay, we will leave as soon as we are finished with the gifts. You going to hang back here?" he asked as he gestured around the dining room, "Seems like it might be the safest place to hide from everyone."

Chichi nodded sadly. "Yeah, I'll just wait in here until you're done," she said softly and tucked her hands into her lap. "You go on. Have fun. Just let me know when you're ready to leave." She felt miserable. His night was ruined and she certainly wasn't enjoying this Christmas party like she thought she was going to. She'd pictured something completely different, with entirely different people. Just her damn luck.

Hercule gave her a sad smile and went to her, leaning down so he could press a kiss to her forehead. He tried to hide the frown that appeared on his face when he felt her flinch from him. 'Shit,' he thought. This night was just one big regression for them. He burned to know the truth; what could she have done to inspire such hatred towards herself?

Chichi didn't even look up as he kissed her and then left the dining room. An almost silent sob escaped her when the door closed. There was no way she was ever going to get past any of this. If telling them she was sorry was to be part of the process, the curse would never end. Because they would never give her the chance to say it.

She sat and cried for a while, feeling guilty about her past and fearful of her future. This was probably the last she was going to see of Hercule. Once she told him the truth, he would throw her out for sure. She was frightened of how he might react. Still, she couldn't lie to him. Nor would she hold anything back. If she was going to do this, she was going to do it right and make sure that there were no more secrets between them.

It was hard to sit there and hear the happy conversation from the other room, the laughter, the sounds of gasps of excitement and the appreciative thank-yous. She shook her head and got to her feet to clear away the exceptionally long dining table. Might as well make herself useful. Besides, it would save Bulma the hassle of it all later. Somehow, Chichi just couldn't picture Vegeta helping with the dishes. She took her time, cleaning the table off and washing up the dishes, thinking about how she was going to tell Hercule everything. She sighed as she went back to the dining room, hearing the party beginning to wind down. Her stomach coiled painfully again as she waited for Hercule to return.


	15. Confessions

Hercule was in better spirits by the time the party was over. Everyone seemed to be too and he thought that it was good to at least end things on a good note. He wandered back into the kitchen, Chichi's coat in his hands. He was surprised to see that during the gifting time she had managed to clean off the table and most of the dishes were washed. Apparently housework was her safe place. He gave her a sad smile. "Hey there, Little Lady. You ready to go home?"

Chichi almost felt like she could cry at the sound of her pet name and the mention of home. She nodded eagerly and moved to slip her arms into the coat he offered. "Please," she said as she pulled it tightly around her. She followed him out to the living room where only a few guests still lingered. "It was a nice party, Bulma," she said quietly as she approached the other woman. "Sorry for all the drama. I really didn't mean to cause any trouble."

Bulma smiled sadly at the other woman. "For what it's worth, thank you for coming. Hopefully the next time we try this things will be better. A lot can happen in a year," she said as she stiffly moved to hug Chichi after a moment's hesitation. "You both be careful going home."

Hercule smiled at the blue haired woman, giving a slight incline. "Thanks for having us over, Bulma," he said as he placed a hand on Chichi's back and gently led her outside into the cold winter air. He was relieved to see that his driver was on time, sitting at the curb with the engine running. He opened the door for Chichi and got in after her, closing the door with a solid thunk.

Chichi flinched when the door shut. She didn't move, didn't utter a word, didn't look at him. She prayed for time to stop, to give her just a few more moments in Hercule's presence before he threw her out. It felt like her heart was breaking. The limousine started forward and she decided she couldn't put it off any more. "So do we talk now or when we get home?" she asked, staring at her shoes.

Hercule didn't like the way she was cowering before him, as if he were about to throw a fit if she moved the wrong way. "Little Lady," he said, "whatever it is that you've done, think you've done, I am going to hear you out. I'm not going to toss you on the street because of how this all looks." He was starting to fear the worst, as though she might have accidentally drowned a baby or something by leaving it too long unattended in the bath.

Chichi cringed again as he spoke her fears aloud. "Yes you will," she said softly and looked out the window as she chewed her nails again. The minutes that passed seemed to press upon her like a weight, dragging by agonizingly slow yet rushing too quickly all at the same time. She swallowed a cry when they pulled up in front of his home. She got out of the car and headed up the walk to the house, her heart heavy in her chest. Wordlessly, they moved to his room and she made sure to shut the door before she turned to him. There was no more putting it off. She had to do this. "I have a lot to tell you," she said quietly. "You might want to sit down."

Hercule tilted his head at her before he finally sighed and took off his jacket, tossing it over the back of a nearby chair before he moved to the fireplace and settled down on the little couch set in front of it. Someone had already started a fire and it was crackling happily away. He looked at Chichi, watching her pacing as she seemed to shrink in on herself. "Did you kill someone?" he asked sincerely.

"Yes," she answered quietly. "When the aliens had everyone in that compound, they were searching for Saiyans. I tried to give up Goku so that Maxwell and I would get treated better. They never found him. I was executed because they thought I lied to them. But before I died, I saw my daughter-in-law standing there. I told them she could lead them to Goku's home. When she didn't, they killed her too. But she wasn't able to be wished back like everyone else. That's why Gohan yelled at me tonight." She was surprised how easy it was to tell him the truth about that. Probably because that wasn't the worst thing she'd done to her family.

Hercule listened to her. He had managed to avoid going to those compounds. He was grateful for that, of course. He couldn't imagine putting Ryan or Madeline in one of those things. The conditions he had heard of had been appalling at best. Though to sell out someone you once shared a life with, sell out your son's wife. That thought was sickening. He wanted to hear everything before he started drawing conclusions. "That explains why he was so mad at you, but it seemed to me that everyone there wanted a piece of you."

Chichi nodded. "That's not the worst of it," she answered. She looked at him and stopped pacing for a moment. "The curse started a long time ago. Arthusia was my daughter-in-law's grandmother. She cursed me because of the things I did to Goku and to my youngest son, Goten. I was horrible to them," she admitted. She started pacing again, trying to figure out where to start. "I married Goku when I was sixteen, because I thought it was something I was supposed to do. What I was expected to do. I had this whole plan of how I was going to be the perfect wife and mother, how our lives would be perfectly normal. Because that's what I was told life was supposed to be like. I didn't marry Goku because I loved him."

Chichi sighed as she remembered back all those years ago. "I didn't know what Goku was. He didn't even know. After Gohan was born with a tail, we figured it out pretty quick that he wasn't human. And it was like my whole world came crashing down. And I blamed him. I tried to make it work. For years I tried to hide who my husband was, tried to change who he was. And when he didn't change, I punished him because I was so angry. I denied him everything. We rarely slept together, maybe once a month when he practically begged me for it and I just didn't want to listen to him anymore. I made supper early while he was out training, sometimes I didn't even fix enough for him. I made him sleep on the couch a lot towards the end of our marriage. He tried to love me, he did love me, but I didn't love him back. Even when I tried to make myself, I just couldn't. I hated him. And he'd done nothing to deserve it. I broke his heart and I didn't even think twice about it."

Hercule did his best to school his expression. There was an anger that flared in him as she described to him what she would do, what she did do to those who only loved her. He'd met Goku; he respected the man and knew there wasn't a kinder or gentler soul out there. He was powerful too, able to protect his family at any cost. He tried to keep in mind the sheltered youth Chichi had, the mother she had told him about. How she taught her many misguided things about life, sex and love. "And your youngest son?"

"I'm getting to that," she answered. She drew another breath. Gods, this hurt. She'd tried so hard to forget and now it was like she was reliving it all over. "After we divorced, Goku moved in with his friends Sabriena and Tien. He… ended up falling in love with them. Both of them. I found out when I caught the three of them together." She hid her face with her hand in shame. "I did everything I could to make them miserable for it. I threatened to take Goten away from Goku. I was disgusted by the fact that my ex-husband was in love with another man. When Sabriena was kidnapped, I even laughed in their faces." Tears dripped down her face as she spoke, but she hurriedly brushed them away. They would gain her no sympathy. She deserved none. She lowered her hand and looked at him with watery eyes. "I was a horrible, despicable person," she whispered.

Hercule nodded. It was hard for people to accept love between two of the same gender. He had noticed the two, the three of them in each other's arms, but he hadn't given it a second thought. Not with all that he'd seen with Ryan and Madeline. "It's always been my belief that love shouldn't be bound by gender. Two people, a male and female marry because they have to, because it is expected of them. Two others, a male and a male or two females, they want to marry because they love each other so deeply but they are prevented." He rubbed at his face and motioned for her to go on.

Chichi hesitated for a moment. Here it was, the worst of her sins. "I took a lot of my anger and hatred out on Goten," she finally said. "I never wanted him. I was furious when I found out I was pregnant with him. I was too strict, I hardly ever let him play. I expected perfection and when he didn't do as I thought he should I…" She swallowed nervously, "I hit him. With a switch. I left marks on him. Scars that will never go away. He was taken away from me when he was seven." She choked on a sob and covered her face with both hands. "I'm so ashamed of what I did. I managed to hide it from Goku for years. But Sabriena found out. That's when Arthusia cursed me."

Hercule felt his heart skip a few beats and he jumped up, biting his tongue at the last moment as he saw her flinch and instead he began pacing. "How could you keep this from me?!" he said, a little impatiently. He wasn't sure what he was feeling. It crushed his chest and he winced. "You know the work I do! Why didn't you tell me to begin with? You… This is why you are cursed, isn't it? So this is why you keep saying that you've brought this on yourself? Why? More importantly, how?! How could you do this? What had justified in your mind that it was okay to resort to beating an innocent child!?"

Chichi felt a knot in her throat and she fought the tears in her eyes. This was the reaction she'd feared. "I didn't tell you because I wanted a chance to show you the person I am now. I wanted you to see me, my present, and not my past before you judged me," she answered quickly. "I know what you do. I know that you work to protect others from the type of person I was." She bowed her head and wiped quickly at her eyes. "Nothing justifies what I did to him. I was so blinded by my own misery, I just took it out on him." Her lip trembled as her stomach coiled painfully. "I wish I could erase it all," she whispered.

Hercule was shaking his head before she stopped speaking. His heart felt like it was caught in a vice and the life was being slowly crushed from it. He turned from her then and went to look out the glass door that lead to the balcony. His mind was swimming with everything she had told him and it was relentless. His skin crawled the more he thought about it and he quickly realized this matter wasn't a five minute sit down, patch everything up and it goes back to normal. This was more than that. "I think it would be best if you slept in your room tonight while I think this over."

Chichi frowned sadly and swallowed the lump in her throat. She gave a tiny nod. "Okay," she said softly. She hesitated for a moment, trying to choose her words carefully. "I don't blame you for being angry with me. But the person I was isn't who I am anymore. I just wanted to show you that. I didn't know how to tell you before. But if you want me to leave, I understand." She turned to leave, lingering by the door. "Whatever you decide, I will always be grateful for everything you've done. And I will always care about you," she said quietly before she left and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Hercule didn't sleep that night, not really. He changed into something more comfortable and had a glass of brandy as he mulled over the new information presented to him. He felt betrayed in some sense, but in the other, he just wanted to forgive her, though his heart ached. Could he forgive someone like her? Someone like his father? He had asked himself that a thousand times before and each time he didn't think that it was possible for him to give that kind of forgiveness to someone who truly didn't care. It wasn't the same for Chichi.

He let his head fall back on the chair and he was left looking at the ceiling as he combined everything he knew about her into one image. Her past with a mother who demanded perfection. Having to play the part her mother wanted and gave up everything that made her herself. Her painting, fighting, a wild, untamed personality that was just passionate about life to someone who she thought society wanted to see. She resented it and there had been a snapping point for her when she realized life couldn't be as in control as her mother demanded it.

He breathed out heavily and let his mind sift through the information, thinking over what he knew. It had happened some fifteen, twenty years ago. He could hear the sorrow, the fear in her voice. It wasn't that she wanted to keep the information from him. She knew his work, she had been trying to find a way to tell him. His heart ached at the choice that he now had to make and he leaned forward, looking into the dancing flames as he turned the information over in his head. She said she had been ashamed.

He stood up, not caring that it was past the middle of the night as he left his room and headed towards Chichi's. He knocked as gently as he could on the door. He wanted to pound it open and demand answers, but where would that get him? He opened the door a moment later, seeing Chichi curled up on the bed and he sighed before he walked over to stand bedside and he looked down at her. "Are you sorry? Have you apologized to them all?"

She was surprised he'd come to her room. She hadn't expected to see him until morning and she was prepared to hear him tell her to get out. "I am sorry," she answered softly, still curled up on the bed. She tried so hard to fight her tears, but they just wouldn't stop. "I want to tell them I'm sorry. But I was trying to fix myself first. I wanted to change who I am, so I could show everyone that I'm not the person I used to be. That's why I hadn't told you yet. I always intended to tell you. I just wanted you to know the person I am now before you found out who I was." She peered up at him, wishing she could curl up even smaller. "I thought if I tried to apologize to them too soon, it would seem like lip service, that they wouldn't believe me because they wouldn't be able to see that I've changed. I wanted them to know I mean it, that they weren't just empty words."

Hercule could understand that better than she probably realized. How many times his father would beat his mother only to turn around and spout off that he was sorry, that he would never do it again. He had written off his father long ago, but he wondered what he would give to have the man at least come back to his front door and tell him that he was truly sorry for what he had done. "I suppose you will need to find some happy medium of when to tell them, but you shouldn't wait much longer. The longer you wait, the more time they have to close off their ears to any words you would say." He sighed and finally leaned back, "I can't say I like what I've heard tonight, erm last night, but I haven't even seen a shadow of the woman you claim to have been."

Chichi swallowed hard and moved closer to him, sitting up in her bed. "Mark, I know your past. I know the work you do. You work to protect women and children from people like me," she said, forcing her voice to remain calm although she wanted nothing more than to break down and beg him for mercy, forgiveness, compassion. "I love being with you. I've never been so happy in my life. But if you can't be with me anymore, I understand. I can find somewhere to go if you want me to leave."

"Not people like you," he said as he reached out to cupped her cheek. "You are not the same woman you were. If you were, I don't think I would feel the same way about you." He sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, moving to lean back against the headboard. "It seems to me that you've paid for what you've done, in bulk. Now comes the hard task of getting everything back in order. It's not going to be easy, you know. I figure you need at least one person on your side that isn't glaring daggers at you."

A sob escaped her throat and she wrapped her arms around him, giving in to the tears. She was so overwhelmed in that moment. Never had she known someone so understanding, so kind, so willing to look past her mistakes and see the person she was now. She buried her face into his shirt as she bawled. "Are you sure?" she squeaked out between sobs and hiccups, clinging to him as though he might suddenly change his mind and run from her. "I swear I'm not that person any more. I hate her. I hate who I was. I don't ever want to be that person again. I don't ever want you to see that side of me."

Hercule hugged her tightly against him and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I promise, Little Lady. I know you are telling me the truth. I just, you know, it's never right for any child to be hurt like that. Like you said, it is behind you now. So long as you make your efforts to apologize to them, I think you'll be alright. You'll be well on your way to breaking that curse."

Chichi's crying calmed a bit, but she didn't let go of him. "Arthusia said I'd get back everything I'd done times three. I've already gotten back most of it. The neglectful spouse, the whipping." She shuddered and curled tighter against him as she remembered her execution at the hands of the aliens. That was a pain she would never forget as long as she lived. "I guess the only thing left to do is apologize to them. I'll do it after Christmas. I think I've made enough of an impact on their holiday as it is."

He nodded. "I think that's best. You don't need to go through that again." He sighed as he rubbed her shoulders. "Though, you still should have said something. I would never wish that on you. I mean, it was great being able to see my friends, but I just didn't realize."

Chichi shook her head sadly. "I feel like I ruined your night. It's just that when we got there, I was so shocked. I never expected the party to be at Capsule Corp. I panicked. I didn't know what to do," she said. She gave a pathetic little laugh. "My attempt to distract you with the park was the best I could think of. I should've just said something. I don't know what I was thinking. I don't think I was thinking, to be honest. I was like a deer in the headlights."

He chuckled and leaned back further, the lack of sleep catching up with him. "Don't worry about it. You didn't do anything wrong. Though, you suffered when you didn't have to. I imagine you were trying to impose some self-punishment on yourself? You thought you deserved to be put through that?"

"I deserved worse," she answered in a flat tone. "I'm surprised Gohan didn't lay into me worse than he did. It's my fault Lindsey's dead. And I'm very surprised Paige didn't attack me on sight. I'm honestly surprised I made it out of there in one piece. That hatred they have for me runs deep. And I deserve every ounce of it."

"The woman who died at the alien compound deserved it. You are a different story. You woke up from that ordeal changed and you've made strides to atone for what you have done. We can't change what has happened in the past, so it's up to us to you know, look ahead and plan for the worst."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, I suck. I know I suck. And I have no valid reason for not updating other than sheer laziness and Dragon Age Inquisition. Ya'll thought it was bad with the Skyrim, and now JC 87 bought me DAI. And I'm really bad about only being able to fangirl over one thing at a time. So, yeah. I'm sorry, guys. I'll try to update more soon.


	16. Cookies

Tora slammed down the kickstand on his big motorcycle outside Hercule's mansion. Even for a big guy like him, he still thought the place was a bit much. He shook his head in amusement as he strolled up the walk, his hands in his pockets against the chilly air. If it wasn't for their family there, he'd insist on moving somewhere warmer.

He knocked on the front door and flashed a big grin when Madeline answered. "Hey there, beautiful," he greeted her. "The old man around? I need to talk to him."

Madeline smiled brightly at Tora and quickly hugged him tightly before she stepped aside and ushered him in. "Such a charmer as always. Yeah, he's around somewhere. I think either in the dining room or the gym. It's a safe bet that he's in one or the other." She smiled, "How did Marron like her gifts? Ryan was feeling generous with all the chocolate she sent."

"She loved it. I think she's in a sugar coma right now," he chuckled as he shrugged off his coat and shivered. He clapped his hands together and rubbed his palms. "Dining room or gym, huh? My two favorite places!" He narrowed his eyes as he looked between the two options. "Decisions, decisions. Let's go check out the gym." He threw his heavily muscled arm around her shoulders and let his feet carry him down the well-known hallway towards Hercule's in-home gym. "So have you met this new lady friend of his? What do you think about her?"

Madeline cast a look at him before she led the way to the gym. "Chichi? She's been through a lot. They told me that he and Ryan had to bust open a window to get Chichi away from Maxwell. She was covered in bruises and flinched at the sight of... well, anything really. She's been good for him though. She isn't like the other fans who come dressed in scraps you could barely call clothing while they clamber for the Champ's attentions."

Tora scratched at his jaw. "Yeah? Well that's a good thing I guess," he said. He didn't know what he was going to say to Hercule exactly, only that he felt an obligation as his friend to tell the other man what sort of a woman Chichi was. It was no secret amongst their family of what she'd done to Goku and Goten, not to mention the things she'd done to everyone else along the way. He didn't even know the woman, but he felt an anger towards her all the same. "Hey Champ!" he called as they entered the gym. "Ain't you about ready to retire already?" he teased.

Hercule laughed, hearing the familiar voice behind him as he eased off the training bag he had been trying to beat into submission. "What? And let you and your friends have all the fun? Not yet!" he said proudly as he grabbed a towel, wiping the sweat from his brow before he went over to Tora, shaking the other man's hand. "You are fixing to spoiling me, you know? Seeing you so often, I'm beginning to think you care about me!"

"HA!" Tora laughed. "Don't fool yourself. I just hang out with you so I can see Madeline." He chuckled again before he scratched at the base of his ponytail, his expression turning more serious. "Actually, though, I need to talk to you. It's about the party last night and all that mess. I don't wanna cause problems, man, but there's some things I think you should know."

The smile fell a little bit off of Hercule's face and he nodded. He walked over to one of the benches in the gym, grabbing up his bottle of water and taking a long pull from it before he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "About Chichi and her past, I am going to assume? We had a long talk last night when we got back home."

"Madeline, darlin', I need to talk to Hercule alone," Tora said kindly and gave an appreciative smile when she left without questioning him. "Did you?" he asked, turning back to Hercule again. Gods, this felt uncomfortable. "I don't know what all she told you, but I hope to god it was the truth. There's a reason that family doesn't like her. I just don't wanna see you end up getting hurt by her. She's got quite the reputation, and being a gold digger is the least of your worries."

"So I heard," Hercule said as he rubbed at his hair and looked up at the other man. He felt good that Tora felt protective of him enough to even come and warn him of a possible danger. "She told me what I hope was everything. How she'd abused Goku and Goten. How she's responsible for Gohan's wife's murder. Said that she deserved to be thrown out onto the street and left to fend for herself."

Tora raised an eyebrow at that. "Yeah, that sounds like the bulk of it," he said. He looked at Hercule with a skeptical eye for a moment. "Okay, so tell me then," he said, crossing his arms over his chest and shifting his weight to one leg, "Why didn't you throw her manipulative, scheming ass out? She's evil, Hercule. The things she did to my friend and his sons are unforgivable as far as I'm concerned. Goku didn't deserve that. And neither did Goten. And Gohan's still hurting. There's gotta be more to this story or you've lost your damn mind."

"Part of a whole picture I suppose. I know, considering what I do, I should have thrown her out. There was more there, her past, a confused and messed up childhood. There's no excuse for it, of course. Beating a child is unforgivable. She died for that. Ultimately, she died for everything she had done after being publically whipped. I'm not saying it makes it right, but the person that came back when you guys worked whatever magick you have, I don't think it was the same person who did all that shit."

"Are you sure?" Tora asked. "She's manipulative. She knows just the right things to say to get what she wants. And she'd damn good at playing the victim. She married that Maxwell character for his money. I don't know much about him. Really, the family tries not to talk about her if the subject can be avoided. What happened there? She spend all his money and then decide to burn out on him? Or did he get sick of cold meals and sleeping on the couch and boot her out?"

Hercule pressed his lips together and looked up at the other man. "No," he said firmly, "It was the curse. Did they tell you about that? She was getting everything back to her. Maxwell treated her three times as worse than what she did to Goku or Goten. Forced her to have sex, cheated on her with anything that had tits, beat her. Made her love him all the same. That woman got exactly what she deserved."

"Ah, yeah, that curse," Tora said uncomfortably. "I heard about that one, too. That Arthusia could deliver a whopping with her spells. And she wasn't playing around that day she cast that hex, or so I heard. The whole family doesn't want anything to do with it. Eighteen was worried about me coming over here to talk to you about it. She said the Fates might see it as me interfering and then we'd be in a world of hurt." He sighed and thought it over. "I didn't realize he'd treated her like that. It does sound like she's paid for what she did. I just really hope it changed her and this isn't some sort of act."

Hercule laughed, "If you talking to me about it is interfering, I'm well screwed for all the help I've given the Little Lady. It's alright, I don't know if I believe in curses. They don't work if you don't believe in them or some shit like that." He sighed, "I'm glad you came over to check on me though. I really do appreciate it. I'm hoping I can convince Chichi to start taking more forward steps to break the curse, starting off with apologizing to those she's wronged."

"Well, it can't hurt to try and do better. I don't know if the others will ever accept that she's changed, but if you see it and she knows that she's changed, that's what matters." Tora let out a long exhale. "I hope I didn't overstep my boundaries by coming to talk to you. I just didn't wanna see you get blindsided, buddy. You're pretty cool. I'd hate to see you get hurt by all this. I wouldn't have anyone to pester! And then I'd have no excuse to come and see Madeline."

Hercule chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, it's all any of us can aspire to. I think she's earned a second chance. She just needs someone to give her that. Maybe not the life she's led before, but something new, whatever she wants as long as she's honest with herself and her partner." He gave the other man a critical look, "Uh huh, Madeline is going to break your heart by the way. Unless you want cookies. Then she might be persuaded into making a special batch or two."

Tora laughed. "Cookies is all I'm after anyway!" He felt better now. "As long as you know what you're getting into, then whatever you wanna do is your business, man. I wasn't trying to stir up the shit. I just wanted to make sure you knew everything." He glanced around the gym, a mischievous look in his eyes. "So you wanna spar a bit and then see if we can't talk Madeline into some cookies?"

Hercule grinned and nodded. "As long as you remember to turn down those crazy powers of yours. I want to be able to walk in the future," he teased back as he rolled his shoulders and tossed the towel and bottle of water back to the bench before he walked back out to the mat. "Good old hand to hand, martial arts technique. No cheating either, had one guy wrap his hands with rolls of quarters to try and knock my head off my shoulders."

"What?" Tora asked in disbelief as he stretched, then dropped into a fighting stance. "Stupid punks. Thought he'd get one over on the champ, huh? I hope you knocked his block off." Tora suppressed his energy level as low as he could, trying to keep things as even as possible with Hercule. He still knew he could take the champ either way, but where was the fun in that? He snorted as he ducked a swing from Hercule. "These young fighters are lazy, they would rather cheat to get to the top than to work for it."

Hercule debated only a moment as he dodged a kick from the other man. "Actually, he was paid off by that Maxwell guy. Chichi's husband. Didn't take to kindly to me stepping in and stopping the abuse I saw. Or the fact that I've been harboring her here since then. Thought he could prove something, that he has the whole town in his pocket." His eyes went wide a fraction before Tora landed a hit to his side and his breath was stolen away and he had to recover quickly, parrying the attack.

Tora's eyes narrowed at that. "So this husband of hers is trying to send you a message, huh?" he asked, throwing up his forearms to block another punch. Something about that angered him. "You wanna send a message of your own? Betcha I could straighten that cocksucker out in one visit. You don't need that kinda shit. All you're doing is trying to help her out." He oofed as Hercule drove a knee into his stomach. "I don't like the sounds of this guy," he heaved as he sucked in a lungful of air. "Sounds like trouble."

Hercule chuckled between his dodging and lashing out. "Nah, not the first guy I've pissed off. He won't be the last guy either. Besides, not my style. Boys who beat up their wives are too weak to go up against men like you and me. It's not my style any way. Can't retaliate publically about this stuff, it sends the wrong message to the ones that I'm trying to help."

"Your call," Tora said, smirking as Hercule got a good punch in on him. He turned suddenly and tripped the champ up with his tail. "Focus, old man," he teased. "Seriously though, this guy gives you too much trouble, you let me know. Nobody has to know you were involved anyway. I can make the bastard just disappear. Though if you want him to suffer, I might have to charge you extra."

Hercule huffed out a breath of air as he was knocked to the ground and he laughed as he held up his hands in surrender. "No fair using the tail!" he said even as he got back to his feet, "Thanks for the offer though. I'll keep it in mind for the days ahead."

"Hey, you said no powers. You never said a word about the tail," Tora chuckled, waving it at his friend. "Come on, let's see if we can't steal some cookies from Madeline," he said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the door.

Hercule shook his head as he got to his feet and grabbed his towel before he gestured to the door so he could led them to the kitchens. "Yeah yeah, sorry. Forgot about that thing growing out of your ass."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I forgot about this chapter. Had to insert it between the last two chapters I posted. Hope it doesn't confuse you all. I'm sorry! Gods, I am so out of it lately. My bad. Here's a bunch of internet cookies for everyone for putting up with me. ^_^


	17. Making Amends

Chichi sighed as she poked her lunch around the plate with her chopsticks. Usually she loved the stir-fry Hercule's cooks made, but today she just didn't feel like eating. She hadn't felt like eating for a few days. In fact, she hadn't been much in the mood to do anything. She'd managed to have a nice Christmas with Hercule, Madeline, and Ryan, but the party at Capsule Corp was still pressing on her mind. She knew she needed to talk to them, all of them, but she didn't know how to go about it or where to start. She doubted any of them would listen to her anyway. She felt stuck. If she didn't talk to them, there was no chance of this curse ever ending. She was certain of that. But if all they did was slam the door in her face, then what was the point?

Hercule watched Chichi for a moment, well longer than a moment. A good while. The whole time, she didn't even look over at him as she poked around the pieces of food on her plate. "You know, Little Lady, you can't leave the table unless you eat your vegetables," he teased. "What's on your mind? Usually I can't come between you and your stir-fry, but today I think I could make off with it and you would still be poking at where it was."

Chichi gave a little half-hearted shrug. "Just have a lot on my mind," she answered without looking up at him. She took a bite of her food, but it was more for his benefit than her own. The food didn't even taste as good as it normally did. And eating just seemed to make her stomach hurt more. She finally set her chopsticks down and looked at him. "I don't know what to do. I know what I need to do, but I don't know how to do it. I need to go and talk with my ex, with my sons, but how? They aren't going to listen to me. I know they won't. If I try to call or just show up, they aren't going to hear me out. But if I don't try, then there's no chance of breaking this stupid curse."

Hercule studied her for a moment. "Well, by the way you describe it, there's no hurt in trying to make things right. If you try, if you at least say it where they hear you, I don't see what the harm would be. You just keep trying. It doesn't matter if they forgive you or not, you know? What matters is that you try. It's all anyone can do at this point. I could come with you. Stop them from at least shutting the door in your face before you've said your piece."

"I don't expect forgiveness. I won't even ask for that. I don't deserve it," she said quietly as she shook her head. She swallowed nervously and leveled her gaze on his warm blue eyes. A small smile tugged at her lips. "I'd feel better if you went with me," she said. "I'm so scared. They hate me so much, I feel like I'd rather just crawl in a hole and hide than to have to face them alone."

"You don't have to face them alone. I'll give you as much support as you need," he said as he reached out and covered her hand. "It will make you feel better, knowing that you took this step. They can't forgive you unless you apologize first. It won't be easy. It never is. I'm glad that you want to try though. Who did you want to talk with first?"

"I don't know," she said and looked down at her hands in her lap. She picked at her nails as she chewed her lip and thought over her options. "Not Goten. I'm not ready to face him. I know that much. Goku might hear me out, but his husband and wife won't. They wouldn't let me near him at this point. They're so protective of him. And Sabriena's wanted my head for years." She paused and let out a long exhale. "My relationship was always best with Gohan, but after what happened with the aliens, I don't know if he'd listen or not. You heard how angry he was with me at the Christmas party."

"He needed to get it off of his chest, especially if he didn't have the opportunity before the Christmas party to do so. You know how men are. We like to pretend we don't have emotions and all that shit." He thought for a moment as he resumed eating. "It was your actions that really got him. And you kinda shouted you were sorry at the party, right?" He paused to tap his lips. "Maybe there's something else you can do."

"I don't really remember what I said at the Christmas party," she admitted before she looked at him, searching his eyes curiously. "What do you mean? What else is there that I could do?" All there was was to say she was sorry. It wasn't like she could invite them to dinner or anything; they'd think she was trying to poison them. She tipped her head curiously. "I don't understand."

"He said he lost his love, his wife because of you. Is there anything you can do to give him a piece of her back?" he asked, "A photo, a memento or something?"

Chichi thought about it for a long minute. "I don't have anything of hers. I don't have pictures of any of them now. All my old photos are at Maxwell's house." She racked her brain, trying to think of something she could do. It was a good idea, she just didn't know what she could give Gohan that might make it better. "When Lindsey first came to stay with us, she had this altar set up in her closet. I thought it was something evil, devil worship and all that. I destroyed it. Maybe I could replace part of it or something. I don't know if it would mean the same to Gohan or not. A lot of it was heirlooms that couldn't be replaced."

Hercule nodded. "Yeah, it wouldn't hold the same value or meaning if you just went into some random store and bought some brand new item with no sentimental value." He tapped his fingers on the table as he thought. "I feel like there is smoke coming out of my ears. I'm thinking too hard about this. Maybe you should just find a photo. Surely Bulma has something you can use. Make it bigger, get it framed?"

Chichi's brows raised as an idea hit her. "I could do that," she said. "Or, well, I haven't done this in a long time, but I could paint a portrait of Gohan and her together. It's been years since I painted anything, before Goku and I were married as a matter of fact. But I bet I could still do it." She looked up at him again, her eyes questioning. "Do you think that would be a good idea? Maybe a little more personal than just a photo. I don't have any supplies, though."

Hercule grinned at that. "You paint?" He chuckled, "You still continue to surprise me." He thought about it a moment. "That would be a great idea. Tell me what you need and I'll have someone get the supplies. We can set you up in a room all your own so you can spread out and work how you want at your own pace."

Chichi blushed and ducked her head. "Well, like I said, it's been a very long time," she said. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and gave him a sheepish look. "Would you really do that for me? I always loved to paint, but I gave all that up when I became a wife and mother. I figured I didn't have time for it anymore. Just like I gave up fighting." She sighed sadly. "I wish I'd figured out back then that giving up who I was wasn't what I was supposed to do." She thought about it for a minute. "I wonder if Bulma has a photo of them that I could borrow for a reference."

Hercule smiled at her. "Gotta live and learn, Little Lady," he said as he pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "I'll see what we can get set up." He finally pushed his plate back and stood up. "You eat. I'll go see if I can't convince Madeline to see what she can find for you. How big a canvas are you thinking?"

"Maybe about this big," she answered, gesturing with her hands. "Sixteen by twenty? Or is that too big? I always worked with bigger canvases when I was younger. I think it'll be alright. I should call Bulma, see if she can't fax a photo over or something." She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat, feeling better about the situation. Instead of just giving Gohan empty words, maybe the gesture would mean something to him.

* * *

Chichi settled herself into the small room near her bedroom. When Hercule asked Madeline to pick up some art supplies for her, Chichi assumed her friend would return with a canvas, a few brushes, and a couple tubes of paint. But such was not the case.

Madeline came back from the craft store with more supplies than she could carry, making Anthony trail along behind her with his arms laden full of different sized canvases. Madeline had bags upon bags of paint, pencils, brushes, pallets, paper, and everything else Chichi could ever possibly want. They'd even bought her a big fancy easel and an artist's stool to go with it.

Chichi felt it was a bit much, but she was too excited to protest. She got a photo from Bulma and had it tacked up next to her canvas. She stared at the picture for a long time, thinking about everything she had done over the years. She'd never liked Lindsey, not from the moment she stepped foot in their home. And now that Chichi thought about it, she really didn't know why. Maybe it was because Gohan was so enamored with her from the beginning and Chichi had been convinced that Lindsey would be a distraction from his studies. Maybe it was her loud, outspoken nature, or the way she refused to behave the way Chichi thought a young woman should. Or maybe it was simply the fear that her son was growing up too fast and she thought she was going to lose him. Well, she'd lost him now. And it was her own doing, not Lindsey's.

She could see how happy they were in that picture. It shone in their eyes, it radiated in their smiles. Chichi's heart broke. She'd robbed him of that. It didn't matter what she thought of Lindsey, the younger woman had made her son happy. Shouldn't that have been enough?

She shook her head as she dipped her brush into the paint. What a blinded fool she had been. Just because she had been unhappy, she seemed to try to make everyone around her miserable. And she had succeeded.

Several hours past as she worked the black and white paint over the canvas, losing herself in her work. She didn't even notice as the hour grew late; she'd skipped dinner without even realizing it. She jumped when there was a knock at the door and she looked over her shoulder to see Hercule standing there. "Hi," she smiled at him before she turned her attention back to the canvas.

Hercule gave her a smile as he looked at the painting that she was working on and his eyes widened in surprise, "You sure you haven't done this in while? You're putting me to shame. I'm good if I can get stick figures to look like people. How long have you been painting?" he asked as he watched her work a moment more.

"I don't know. I lost track of time," she answered as she worked her brush over the canvas. She paused and wrinkled her nose at it, judging her work. Her eye caught a glimpse of the window and she realized it was dark out. "Oh gosh, I guess I've been here longer than I thought." Her stomach suddenly growled at her and she covered it with her hand as she turned to give him a shy look. "I guess I missed dinner, didn't I?"

Hercule chuckled, "You missed it by a bit, Little Lady. I know how long you've been painting, I don't think you want to know the details. I want to know how many years you've been painting. This is really something else!" he said as he knelt next to her, "And don't worry about dinner. You know the cooks will be happy to have work whenever you decide you want to eat. I don't want to interrupt if you are on a roll."

"I haven't painted anything in years. Not since before I married Goku. That was, well, more years than I care to admit," she said. "But I always enjoyed it when I was younger. My father encouraged it. My painting and my fighting. He said it was good for me to express myself, that I couldn't be clean and proper all the time. My mother disapproved, but Dad always let me do it." She set down her brush and got to her feet with a small groan as she pressed her hands into the small of her back. "Oh yeah, I've been sitting here far too long."

Hercule chuckled. "Sounds like a good time for a break," he said as he walked behind her and carefully worked his thumbs into the small of her back. "Come on. Best not to rush perfection." He looked at the painting and the photo again, "It's going to be fantastic when you finish."

Chichi leaned over and grabbed the back of the chair, a whimper of appreciation escaping her lips. Oh it felt good to have his hands on her, rubbing at the kinks in her spine. "I hope he accepts it," she said softly, staring at the image of her son. She swallowed harshly and looked at the chair again. "No matter what I did before, Gohan always still loved me. He knew everything I'd done and he still put up with me, kept a relationship with me when everyone else wouldn't. And this is how I repay him," she whispered miserably.

"It's in the past, Chichi, and now you are working to put things right," Hercule said as he finished rubbing her back and helped her to stand up straight again. "There's no use in dwelling on it now." He walked her down the hallway, his own stomach grumbling and at her look, he just shrugged. "I did eat dinner. I'm just a growing boy, need at least two meals for dinner to count," he said with a wink.

Chichi shook her head in mock disapproval. "You're a mess," she lightly scolded. She leaned against his side, smiling at the feel of his arm around her shoulders. Gods, she would never get tired of that, of how safe he made her feel. Of the way he cared for her even when she didn't deserve it. "Well, better feed you before you wither away then," she teased as they entered the kitchen. It felt good to have her appetite back, to be working towards something again. And most of all, it felt good to know that Hercule supported her in everything she did.

* * *

"Snow day, snow day," Scarlett hummed happily to herself as she sprawled out on the living room floor, surrounded by bags of candy and chips. Her tail whipped around behind her as she grabbed up a controller to her xBox. "Die dragon," she hissed as she kicked her feet back and forth, her eyes locked on the screen. "You cannot escape! I'm a sniper with this bow." A smile pulled at her lips as she recalled bow hunting with the elven prince Faelon in the woods around her grandfather's cabin. Okay, so he was married to that beautiful vampire Nadia. That didn't mean Scarlett couldn't crush on him a little bit.

"Argh! No! Health potion, health potion!" she cried as she frantically pressed buttons, smirking once again. "Now you're mine, beastie." A knock at the door caught her attention, but she didn't move her eyes from the screen. "Rowan! Someone's at the door!"

Her twin brother either couldn't hear her, or he ignored her.

"ROWAN!" After another knock, she sighed and paused her game as she got to her feet. "See if I clean your room for you again next time you ask," she grumbled. She yanked open the door and blinked in shock. "Grandma? What are you doing here?" And with Mr. Satan at her side to boot. Oh, this was going to be interesting.

"Hi Scarlett," Chichi said. "Is your father home?" She felt nervous. It had been a very long time since she had been to Gohan's house. It still looked the same, still smelled the same as she remembered. She carried the painting in one hand, and reached for Hercule's hand with the other. She carefully stepped inside as Scarlett let them in. "I need to talk to him."

Scarlett gave a nod, peering curiously at Hercule for a moment. "Sure. He's upstairs. I'll go get him," she said before she turned and scurried up the stairs. "DAD!" she roared, following her father's energy signal to his bedroom. Her father hadn't said much after the Christmas party. He'd been rather quiet, taking on extra hours at the hospital and working himself near to death to take up his time. She understood. She missed her mother, too. But now she missed him as well. He was still recovering, but the process was long. She just hoped that someday soon things would return to normal. Well, as close to normal as they could, at least.

The door was open and he sat in a chair, reading over some papers from his work. "Daddy," she gasped, nearly breathless. "Grandma Chichi is here. And she's got Mr. Satan with her!" She shrank back against the doorframe when he looked up. The anger blazing in his eyes was enough to make her want to hide. She curled her tail around her waist. "You want me to throw her out in the snow?" she asked in a timid voice. "Cause I will if you want me to. Face first."

Gohan could barely feel anything as he heard his daughter tell him that Chichi was downstairs with Mr. Satan. He growled and stood up, his chair scraping across the floor. "I'd rather to do it myself. Just stay up here while I deal with her," he said as he went out into the hallway and paused at the top of the stairs. He glared down at the two standing in front of the door. "How dare you come here. Tell me why I shouldn't throw you out into the cold right now."

Chichi was prepared for this. She expected him to yell, to be angry, just like he had at the Christmas party. "You should," she answered, keeping her voice level. "I deserve that. I deserve worse. I know. But I hoped that maybe we could talk, that you'd hear me out. Please, Gohan, if you'll just let me say what I have to say, I'll leave. And if you never want to see me again, I'll leave you alone. I promise."

He wanted to snort and he forced himself to walk down the stairs to stand in front of them. He felt a protective surge well up inside him. He wasn't going to let her spout off lies and do anything more to harm him or his family. "What's the catch? There's always a catch," he growled. "Chichi never does anything out of the goodness of her heart. There has to be something in it for you."

Chichi swallowed harshly. "I get to try to become the person I want to be. So yes, there is something in it for me. This is my way of trying to be a better person and not hurt anyone anymore," she admitted honestly, her fingers running along the edge of the painting. She felt nervous to give it to him, to even show it to him now that she was there. "The things I've done to you, your family, are unforgivable. I know that now, Gohan. I don't deserve forgiveness and I won't ask for it. But I do want to tell you that I'm sorry."

Gohan snorted and looked between Chichi and Hercule before he let his hard gaze fall on her again. "Sorry doesn't bring back Lindsey. Sorry doesn't undo all that you've done. You say you've changed? I'll believe it when I see it."

"I know that. I took something from you that can't be replaced. I know she and I never got along, but I feel horrible about what happened to her. I realize now how happy she made you," Chichi said softly and looked down at her hands. "I didn't see it before. If I could take her place, I would." She looked back up at him, her eyes sorrowful. "I am so sorry, Gohan. From the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry." She swallowed and held out the canvas to him. "I thought you might like to have this," she said quietly.

Hercule watched as Gohan hesitated for a moment before he reached out and took the picture from Chichi. He wrapped his arm around Chichi's shoulders. It went better than he thought, and he knew better than to hope for more. He gave her shoulders a squeeze as Gohan unwrapped the painting.

Chichi swallowed harshly as she watched Gohan unwrap the painting. At least he hadn't thrown the gift back in her face before he even opened it or anything like that. It was impossible to judge his expression, even though she tried. She couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling as the paper dropped from his hand and he stared at the canvas. "I borrowed a photo from Bulma so I could paint that for you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She practically held her breath as she waited for a response from him, her heart hammering against her ribs, her knees feeling as though they might give out beneath her at any moment.

Gohan didn't know what to think. He felt numb as he found himself staring at his own image with Lindsey at his side. It was one where they were both wrapped up in each other, laughing and smiling as they looked into each other's eyes. His breath caught and he felt tears spring to his eyes. He didn't know if she was telling him the truth about painting it herself. It wasn't what he had been expecting. He supposed he thought she would get some meaningless little bauble, but this. It was something else. He looked back up at her, tears still in his eyes and he just nodded at her. "Thanks," he said quietly.

Chichi felt her heart break at the tears in her son's eyes. "Gohan, I really am sorry," she said softly. "I wish I could change it. I wish there was more I could do." She paused for a minute to keep her voice from cracking. "I'm not the same person I used to be. I hope someday you'll be able to see that. I know we've been through a lot over the years and there's a lot I can't change. But I really am trying to make up for it. You have every right to hate me and I don't blame you. I won't hold that against you. But I still love you, Gohan."

Gohan nodded, moving to sit down on the couch as he looked at the painting. Half of him was furious, the other half wanted to accept what she had to say, but he couldn't. Not yet. "You abandoned us when we needed you the most. The moment you could have done something to help us, you didn't. It's going to take time, but you know keep at it… maybe I'll come around after I know for sure."

Chichi pressed her lips together and nodded as she covered Hercule's hand on her shoulder. "Okay, sweetheart," she said softly. She felt better. She couldn't believe how much lighter her heart felt. "If you need anything, I'm staying with Hercule. Thank you for letting me talk to you. I want you to take care of yourself and your children. I hope I get to see you again sometime soon." Gohan didn't answer her, but he nodded and that was enough for her. She took Hercule's hand and left the house, quietly closing the door behind them. She didn't say anything as they walked out to the waiting car and she leaned her head back against the seat, letting out a long sigh as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "That went better than I'd hoped," she whispered.

Hercule rubbed her back as the car took off and he gave her a sad smile. "I'm proud of you. It's stuff like that, stepping out of your comfort zone, that is exactly what you need. Not just because it's going to break the curse, but because it's the right thing to do." He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "That painting was really good too. I think you should do it more often," he said as he moved to lean back in the seat.

"Yeah?" she asked, perking up at the idea. "Well, Madeline bought me plenty of supplies. I suppose I could get back into it. Not sure what I'll do with it, but I guess I can just wait for inspiration to strike." She settled closer to his side and smiled softly. "Thank you for coming with me. It means a lot to me. I'm sure it's sort of awkward for you."

Hercule laughed and shook his head. "You do realize who you are talking with, right? I can handle awkward," he said as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "I'll be there as long as you want me to be. I know some things are easier on your own, or if you have to do them alone, I understand that as well."

"I might," she said. "Especially when I go to speak to Goku. You might be able to handle awkward, but that might be a bit much. You know, being around my ex-husband. My sons are one thing, but I don't want you to be truly uncomfortable." She pulled his arm to wrap around her shoulders, lightly tracing her nails over the palm of his hand. "I suppose that will be up to you."

Hercule looked down at their hands a moment before he looked back up at her. "Is that who you want to go see next? I hate to contradict you, but from what you told me, it's quite the drive out there. You don't want to be alone for that long, stewing in your own thoughts with no one to work it out with." He shrugged his shoulders, "Besides, Goku and them weren't that bad at the party. I think they put up with me rather well. So, if you want, I'll be there for you when you go visit them. Do you need to paint a picture or something for them as well?"

"I don't think they'd care for that," Chichi answered. "I don't know what I would paint for them anyway. Their home is, ah, minimal. I doubt they have much room for artwork. It's just a cabin out in the middle of nowhere. They don't even have electricity or running water. Anyway, I don't know what I could do for them. I'll think on it for a day or two I suppose."

Hercule nodded. "Small steps, right? You had a small victory today, Chichi. You should be proud of yourself." He tugged her close against him. "Then we can take our time figuring out what you can say to your son. What you can do for him. I mean, I saw him at the party, but I'm afraid I don't know much about him. Save that he and his wife have that little one."

Chichi nodded. "I don't even know the baby's name," she said sadly. She sighed. "I know I'll never have a relationship with him. But I still want to apologize to Goten. I'm saving him for last, though. That one's going to take me more time to work up my nerve." Her stomach squirmed again as she thought about it, but she shoved Goten and Paige from her thoughts. She was going to just enjoy the moment, knowing she'd taken the first step towards making amends.


	18. Surprise, Surprise

Chichi sat in the back of the car, chewing the inside corner of her mouth as Hercule's driver drove the car through the city streets. She couldn't help but feel a bit excited. Hercule had told her to dress nice, he was taking her out to dinner, but where they were going was a surprise.

Once again, she'd let Madeline fix her hair in a pretty, romantic updo, and dressed in a beautiful black dress. She smiled over at Hercule and reached out to touch his hand. "The suspense is killing me," she said, her eyes lit up with excitement. "You've got me in the car, why don't you just tell me where we're going?" It was only the fifth time she'd asked since they'd left his house. She doubted he'd tell her, but she couldn't help herself.

Hercule lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. "I told you, it's a surprise, Little Lady," he said. "You look amazing tonight you know? So lovely." He reached up and cupped her cheek, looking into her dark eyes. He was so proud of her for taking the first steps with Gohan that he just had to surprise her. And what better surprise than to take her to the finest restaurant in the entire city? Hell, possibly the whole country.

Chichi gave a little huff and pretended to pout. "That's just not fair," she said, but a smile crossed her lips the next second, ruining the effect. She scooted a little closer to him and entwined her fingers with his. There was a happiness that filled her heart that she never knew could exist. How she had thought so poorly of this man before, she couldn't fathom now. He was nothing short of amazing. And it had nothing to do with his wealth or the gifts he bought her, the places he took her, the way he spoiled her. It was his genuineness, his kind heart, his passion for taking care of others who were less fortunate. She didn't understand why he didn't make that side of him more well known to the public, but at the same time, it made her a little giddy that she was one of a privileged few who got to see that side of him.

She sighed happily and leaned her head on his shoulder, letting her eyes fall closed as she drank in his presence. The scent of his cologne, the feel of his strong muscles beneath her cheek, his calloused hand in hers, the warmth she felt exuding from him. She felt the car slow to a stop and she almost cursed the drive for being too short. She would've been happy to just ride around the city and sit next to him, holding his hand all night. She sat up straighter and opened her eyes, a brilliant smile on her face. But it fell the next second, her heart stopped, and she really did have to stop herself from cursing out loud when she saw the restaurant he'd brought her to. Goten's restaurant. Damn this man. "I… I thought it was nearly impossible to get in here," she stammered.

Her mind was racing, wondering how on earth she was going to get herself out of this mess without upsetting Hercule. Why did he have to keep surprising her like this? First Capsule Corp, now Goten's restaurant. She could fake a headache. Or maybe an upset stomach. She could pretend to be a total klutz and twist her ankle getting out of the car. Maybe if she fell and whacked her head real good on the sidewalk, he'd just take her straight home and forget about all of this. She'd taken worse lumps from Maxwell when he was in a mood than she'd suffer by intentionally face-planting on the pavement. New heels, she was wearing new heels. That could be her excuse for tripping.

Hercule got out of the car, waving at his driver to let him know he could handle Chichi's door. He opened it for her with a flourish. "Well, I promised I would find a way and I made a donation to the restaurant and they found us a nice table in the back. Nice and quiet, but there will be others around. Sorry I couldn't get us a private table." He smiled at her, watching her expression, seeing the strain on her face. He frowned. "You, don't like it? You know what they say, try everything once."

Chichi couldn't bring herself to ruin his night, not after he'd obviously gone out of his way to try to do something special for her. She gave him a smile, hoping it looked genuine, and she took his hand as she stepped out of the car. "You're right. Sorry. I'm just not used to fancy restaurants," she said as she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and walked inside with him. Her breath was stolen away as she drank in the surroundings. It was gorgeous inside. She felt a pride for Goten swell in her chest. Her son had really done something remarkable here. And she felt a little sad at that because she couldn't even tell him so.

Hercule smiled as he looked around. There was a look of awe on Chichi's face and he felt better knowing that he could change her mind about this restaurant. He had only been there once, but it had been memorable. He looked around, drinking in more of the details. There was a roped off section in a beautiful corner that was permanently on reserve for family members and friends only. He would love it if he could have a table of his own on reserve. He was pretty sure he would eat there most nights.

The waiter showed them to their table and he immediately ordered the house specialty of Transylvanian plum wine. "This stuff is amazing. I hear he has a brewing part in the back made especially for this stuff. I wonder where he got the recipe. It's gold."

"Oh, it's probably some secret," Chichi said, her stomach coiling as she looked around. Surely Goten wouldn't see her. He would be in the kitchen all night, wouldn't he? She smiled politely as the waiter brought them a bottle of the wine and poured their glasses for them. She sipped it, her eyes widening a bit. "Oh, this is really good!" she whispered to Hercule. She was so nervous, she was half-tempted to down her glass. But then she thought better of it and set it carefully on the table. It wouldn't do to get drunk and really make a fool of herself. She picked up the menu and looked it over, unsure of what to order. She peered over the top of the menu again, scanning for some sign of Goten before she looked it over again. "Goodness, I don't know what to order. All these dishes sound so fancy."

Hercule chuckled, glancing over the menu. He knew what he wanted to order immediately. "I'm gonna get the steak and mushrooms. I could die happy eating those. I hear the beef Wellington is really good. Some guy named Gordon Ramsay even put his seal of approval on it." He looked over the menu, trying to think of something Chichi might like to try. "And the fish is good. Whichever one you like." He grinned, "Let's get a few appetizers too." He eyed the duck fat popcorn and a few others. Chichi was right. This place was fancy.

"Whatever you want," Chichi said, a thrill of fear shooting down her spine as she spied a young woman across the room. It was Paige. "Uh, the beef Wellington, please," she said to the waiter and handed over her menu. She swallowed nervously and looked down to fiddle with her napkin as Hercule ordered more food for them. She prayed that Paige wouldn't look their way, that maybe she wouldn't recognize her voice. Her stomach knotted up so bad that she wasn't even sure if she could eat anything now if she had to. She just wanted to enjoy their meal and go home as soon as possible.

* * *

Paige froze the moment that she had heard it. The Champ's voice was unmistakable and the witch, even more so. She let her eyes slide to the side, spying the back tables where Chichi and Hercule had been seated. She had been alerted when Hercule Satan and his date arrived, but she had never in a million years expected to find Chichi there. She honestly thought after the mess that had been the Christmas party, she wouldn't be seen with him again anytime soon. Wasn't she still married to some bastard? She growled deep in her throat. She had another think coming if she thought they were welcome in Goten's restaurant.

Okay, so Goten insisted they called it theirs, but really, he did all the hard work as far as she was concerned. She managed the front of house. She still would fight in the ring on the side to earn them an extra bit of cash, but the restaurant was doing so well, she bet they could both retire in about fifteen years and be set for life and even put Tristan through school. Not that Goten would want to retire. This was his passion, his dream and she was going to support him.

Paige caught sight of the frenzied reporter who had been there to dine on their food and give a news report about the restaurant. He was attracted to Hercule like a magnet. Paige stalked closer, using all of her skills in training to get her closer. She would throw them all out on a dime if she heard something she didn't like. For say, Chichi claiming to be Goten's mother again to get in on a slice of the action again.

* * *

Hercule groaned when a reporter approached the before the appetizers had even been served. This was why he preferred restaurants with private rooms. Though sometimes those didn't do any good. "Look, buddy. I'm trying to enjoy a nice night out with my friend. Beat it," he said, but felt ignored when the reporter turned to Chichi instead.

Chichi blinked widely at the reporter when he addressed her, wondering what on earth a reporter could want with her. She felt her defenses rise, wondering if this was another ploy from Maxwell.

"Ma'am, I wonder if I could have a moment of your time?" he asked, but didn't wait for her to respond. "You're Son Goten's mother, aren't you? You must be proud of him for becoming the youngest five-star chef in the world. Do you eat here often? Can you tell me what your favorite item on the menu is? He's stated before that the dishes he offers are often inspired by his family. Is there one on the menu that he created for you?"

Chichi's back went stiff as the reporter babbled on, firing off a bunch of questions she didn't want to answer. She swallowed nervously, but managed to compose herself. "I'm sorry, I think you have me mistaken for someone else. I'm not his mother. I know the family, but that's all. His mother is Sabriena Shinhan." It hurt a little to admit it, but it was the truth. And she was surprised at the bit of relief she felt that washed through her at the admission. Goten was not her son. He was Sabriena's.

The reporter seemed to deflate, looking a bit confused. "My apologies, ma'am. I'm sorry I interrupted your dinner. Excuse me," he apologized and returned to his table, looking disappointed.

Hercule watched, annoyed, as the reporter left. He reached across the table to cover Chichi's hand with his own. Hercule's eyes widened a moment as he heard the name and the image of the blonde woman from the Christmas party flashed in his mind, Goku's wife. It suddenly clicked into place and he looked to her. Goten, her son, was the chef. He'd heard about the chef of this restaurant, but he'd never paid attention to the che'fs name. He looked at her a moment more, proud of the way she answered the reporter and he gave her hand a squeeze. "You weren't honest with me, Little Lady," he gently scolded.

Chichi ducked her head a bit. "I know. You were so excited to come here. I didn't want to ruin your night." She sighed heavily and looked away from him, out over the restaurant for a moment. Why couldn't she just tell him these things upfront? She bit her lip and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Hercule. I guess I'm still just so used to trying to hide everything. The smallest things could set Maxwell off. I don't even think about it. I just see a tense situation and it's like, I go into panic mode, how to smooth everything over without causing a scene. And then it all blows up in my face anyway."

He smiled at her, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. "I know, you are still learning. But you can tell me anything and I won't get upset." He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it carefully. "Any more surprises I should know?"

Chichi carefully thought about it for a long moment. "I don't think so," she answered quietly. "I think that's everything. But if I remember anything else, I'll tell you next time. I promise."

* * *

Paige looked on, her jaw about hit the floor as she listened to Chichi shut down the reporter and turn down an opportunity to capitalize on her fame. She narrowed her eyes at the woman when she peeked around the corner before she finally turned around and strode towards the kitchens. Goten had asked to know when the Champ showed up, she was sure he already knew that he was there. However, he needed to know who the date was.

The kitchen was full of hustle and bustle. Paige smirked as she watched for a moment, it was like a well-oiled machine with all of the parts working in tandem. Goten loved cooking so much, he hired someone else to expedite the food while he cooked up a storm. She waved her mate over the first chance she saw there was a break in the orders. "Hey there, good looking."

Goten smiled at his mate and hurried over to her, wiping his hands on his apron as he went. "Hey sexy," he purred and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her soundly. It was crazy busy in the kitchen that night, just as it always was, but he loved to steal little moments with her here and there when he could. "What's going on? Everything okay out front?" he asked, just as he always did.

Paige sighed happily, wrapping her arms around him, kissing at his mating mark before she pulled back and gave him a look. "Of course it is. I don't let it become a mad house. You know the 'Great Hercule Satan' is here, right? After his healthy contribution to secure his reservation. You are not going to believe who is date is," she said, giving him a look, bracing herself, "Well, maybe after the Christmas party, you will."

Goten felt his hackles raise. "Oh you're kidding. Chichi's here?" he growled and moved around Paige to go to the door, peering out into the dining room. Sure enough, there she was, sitting at the table with Mr. Satan. Goten groaned loudly and closed the door as he rubbed at his face. He felt conflicted. He was tempted to screw up her food just because he could, but then he couldn't bring himself to do that. His passion for cooking was too strong to intentionally mess it up. He dropped his hand back to his side and fixed Paige with a pout. "How many years would I go to prison if I poisoned her?"

Paige reached out and hugged him tightly. "Depends if you kill her or not, but I'm pretty sure either one we would have to arrange conjugal visits of some sort." She sighed and breathed in his comforting scent. "A reporter went over to her before I could stop it. He asked her if she was your mother, what her favorite dish was, if she had one that inspired you. Though, I'm fairly sure the trash is a fair answer." She sighed and rubbed at her face, "She denied it. Said your mother is Sabriena, and rightfully so."

He thought he'd heard Paige wrong for a moment. The last time Chichi had been approached by reporters about him, she'd boldly stated how proud she was of him, how she had always encouraged her son to follow his dreams, blah, blah, blah. He'd been furious to read the report. For her to deny it now didn't make sense to him. Especially in front of Hercule. Goten figured she'd want to brag and show off for the Champ. He raised a skeptical eyebrow at his mate. "Are you sure you heard her correctly? That doesn't sound like something she would say. She hates Mom."

Paige knew that better than most. "Come on, with ears these big? I don't miss a thing. It's what she said, so I don't know what's up. She looked nervous to be here, so if I had to venture a guess, it wasn't her idea to come here." She snorted, "If I had seen her name in the books, I am pretty sure I would have 'lost' the reservation." She sighed and rubbed at her face. "Look, I'll keep an eye on the situation. Don't poison the food just yet, okay?" she said, giving him another quick hug and a kiss on his cheek. "You just do what you do best, sexy."

Goten sighed through his nose and gave a nod. "Okay," he murmured and kissed her again before he went back to his station, determined to not let Chichi influence his mood. He was grateful that Tristan was with Jenny and Piccolo, that Paige hadn't brought him to work with her that night as she sometimes would. His son didn't need to be anywhere near that vile creature. He prayed that Chichi didn't make a scene in his restaurant. If he could just get the order out and let her eat, maybe she'd leave quietly and that would be that. "I swear, if she pulls some shit," he growled under his breath and shook his head as he set to work, leaving the threat hanging in the air.

* * *

Hercule sighed happily as their appetizer came. He kept a careful eye on his date. She looked like a scared deer, ready to run at a moment's notice. She had jumped when the waiter had brought out the first course. "You look like you are expecting someone to come around the corner and get you. Relax. I doubt Goten would want to make a scene in his own restaurant. And as for other people," he said worriedly. "I tried to keep this as quiet as possible."

"Sorry," Chichi murmured. "I'm not used to reporters coming up to me like that." She helped herself to a bit of the food and tried not to moan as she bit into it. She understood why Hercule liked this place so much. The food was beyond amazing. "This is so good," she said with a little smile at Hercule. "Thank you for bringing me here. Really. I'm just not used to this. Sorry I'm a little uptight. I don't mean to be."

Hercule smiled at her, reaching out and covered one of her hands, stroking at her knuckles lovingly. "Thanks for coming out with me tonight. I'm sorry it's such a hassle to do most of the time," he said, smiling widely at the waiter who brought out their food. It smelled like heaven. The steak and mushrooms were still sizzling as if they had just been taken off of the skillet. He peered over at Chichi's dish with interest. The beef wrapped in a delicate crust with mashed potatoes and some kind of green vegetable. "Hey, Little Lady, how about we trade a bite?" he teased. "That looks pretty good."

"Mmm, so does yours," she answered. She smiled at him as she picked up her fork and knife, preparing to cut into it to share with him. "Sounds like a fair trade to me," she said, but paused as two police officers marched straight for their table, loudly announcing her name, demanding to know if they had the right person. "Y-Yes," she stammered and set the silverware back down, confusion crossing her features as she looked up at them. "Is there a problem?"

"Ma'am, you're under arrest for the possession of an illegal substance," one of the officers stated as the other took her by the arm and pulled her to stand, roughly yanking her arms behind her back to handcuff her.

"What?" Chichi cried, her face going incredibly hot as the other patrons of the restaurant stared curiously at her. "I've never done anything like that. I don't understand!" She could feel the tears prickling at her eyes, humiliation washing over her. She'd never been so embarrassed. Maxwell had to be behind this. It was almost as if she could feel his presence lurking in the shadows somewhere, laughing at her, amused by the fact that he'd disrupted their dinner. Her eyes searched for him, but didn't find him. Even if he wasn't physically there, she could still feel his presence.

Hercule was on his feet in the next second, wanting to yank Chichi back to him. "Officers, there has to be some mistake. She's been staying at my house and there certainly haven't been any drugs in there!" he protested, getting worried. He knew what this was. This was Maxwell's doing. He already had his phone out, punching in the number for his lawyer to meet him at the police station.

The second officer smirked, "Well, it wasn't at your house that we found the drugs. We got a nice tip from her HUSBAND about the drugs he just found hidden in her room."

Paige had heard and seen enough. Her eyes were on fire. She didn't like Chichi, but damned if they were going to make a scene in Goten's restaurant with the Champ standing right there. She strode up, seeing the way Chichi's face paled at her, but she fixed the officers with a look. "Do not make accusations or arrests in this restaurant. Take it outside, you are disturbing the other guests."

Chichi tried to hide her face as the officers each took her by the upper arms and marched her out of the restaurant. She swallowed the sob in her throat as she looked over her shoulder at Hercule, feeling frightened. If Maxwell was behind this, they were probably taking her straight to him instead of to jail. Or perhaps he had really planted drugs in her room at his house and now she was going to prison for a good chunk of her life. She didn't know what to think. A million crazy thoughts swirled through her mind. But the one thing that really was stuck in her mind was Goten and how embarrassed he would be that this had happened in his restaurant.

She nearly whimpered as the officers roughly shoved her into the back of the patrol car and slammed the door. She ducked her head again, trying to avoid the curious stares of the people outside the restaurant. She sniffled and choked, but couldn't hold back her tears as the car began to move. She prayed Hercule could get her out soon.

Hercule cursed as he looked after the patrol car, committing the number to memory and made a quick call to his lawyer. He told him to get down to the station as fast as he could, the names of the two officers on the badges he had seen, as well as the car number and license plate. His lawyer assured him that he would get there as fast as possible and make sure that Chichi hadn't been drug back to Maxwell's house and that he would get her out of jail as soon as he could get the mess sorted out.

He sighed and rubbed at his face. So much for a nice night out. He looked back to Paige who had followed them out, he remembered her from the Christmas party and he blinked for a moment. "Hey there," he said, an idea to fix this springing to his mind, "Any chance I could speak to the head guy around here?"

Paige blinked at Hercule, surprised that he recognized her. She could see it in his eyes. She bit her lip for a moment before she nodded and motioned him to follow her. Her eyes flickered back to the table where their meal had been rudely interrupted, the plates of food going cold and untouched. She cursed. It was a waste. She pushed open the door to the kitchen, looking for her mate, "Goten, Mr. Satan wants a word with you."

Goten's heart leapt into his throat and he quickly stopped what he was doing. If there was something wrong with the meal he'd prepared for them, Mr. Satan could ruin Goten's reputation if he wanted to. Goten was sure of it. "Mr. Satan!" he greeted the big man, reaching out to shake his hand. "It's an honor to have you here tonight, sir. Is there something wrong with your meal? I'll be more than happy to fix it for you."

Hercule was a bit at a loss when the head chef came over to him. This was Goten from the Christmas party. Chichi's biological son. He managed to shake his head in answer to Goten's question and a chance to clear his own. "Ah, no. I mean, I'm sure there wasn't. The food that comes out of this place is nothing short of amazing." He frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Our meal was interrupted by some of West City's finest," he said, sarcasm evident in his voice. "Claimed Chichi was being arrested for drug charges or something like that. I'm sure it's some lie her husband came up with." He waved his hand, "But I was wondering if I could trouble you to make those dishes again, so I can take them home. I've been planning this night for a while and to have it blow up in my face…" He sighed, "I have to make it right. I'll make sure to compensate you well for your time and for the meal you served us out there as well."

"Certainly, Mr. Satan. It's no trouble at all," Goten obliged, moving to start preparing the dishes all over again. It made his skin crawl to think that he had to prepare a special dish for his biological mother, but he wouldn't risk everything he'd worked so hard on by somehow pissing off Mr. Satan. "I'm terribly sorry that your meal was interrupted," he said as he worked. He swallowed, debating on what he should or shouldn't say to this man. He knew Hercule had to recognize him from the Christmas party, or at least remember Paige. She was hard to forget. He frowned at the food in front of him, trying to choose his words carefully. "So, ah, how long have you known Chichi?" he asked in what he hoped was a casual tone. He didn't care much for Mr. Satan, but he was a repeat customer and the man had never been rude or overly demanding. Especially for a celebrity. He didn't want to see anyone else be hurt at Chichi's hand.

Hercule blinked for a moment. He knew now why Goten seemed so tense. Like at the Christmas party, but it was even more noticeable. He also called her by her first name and not mom. He remembered at the party he called another woman his mother. And the two men were his fathers. What an odd relationship that had to be. He shook off that line of thinking, it had to be because of what Chichi had told him. He really couldn't blame the kid for that hatred he felt coming off of him. Chichi had wanted to wait until later to confront Goten. "A while now. Ran into her on the street when she was trying to get away from that husband of hers. Had to break her out of her own house." He frowned, looking down at the tiled floor. "Never seen anyone beaten that much," he said quietly, remembering the bruises that had covered her head to toe.

Goten was unmoved by Hercule's last sentence. He and Gohan were aware of the way Maxwell treated her and while it used to bother Gohan, neither of them were willing to interfere. Gramma Arthusia's warning was too strong. They weren't about to go up against the wrath of the dark goddesses she'd invoked when she cursed Chichi. And part of him felt justified for it because of what she'd done to him. He licked his lips nervously and cast a glance at Paige for a moment before he spoke again, still working on preparing their food. "Mr. Satan, I don't want to be rude or upset you in any way, but be careful around her. I know her better than I care to admit. People around her tend to get hurt," he said, speaking in a concerned tone, trying very hard not to sound accusatory in any way.

Hercule pressed his lips together and he rubbed at the back of his head. "Goten, she's told me. She told me everything that she's done. To her family, Goku, Gohan, Lindsey. To you." He looked up at the young man, "I don't want to speak for her, but she is doing her best to try and make up for what she's done. No one should have to suffer through what you've suffered. I know." He sighed, "I can take a little hurt. It's for some better cause. If I have to shoulder that until she makes her amends, then so be it."

Paige rubbed at her forehead, this man was something else. Like Goku except more… she wasn't sure what that word was. More boisterous? She watched Goten carefully as he quickly cooked, preparing two boxes for the road. She could feel him, his nerves were nearly shot and he was losing his last bit of restraint. She peered out into the house, the doors would be closing soon. When Goten finished with this, she was going to drag him home and call it an early night, leave the restaurant in the hands of the second in command.

Goten fought to keep his hands from shaking as he fixed the to-go boxes for them. He wanted to shake this man, to tell him to get as far away from Chichi as possible, that she was a horrible, wretched monster who would make him miserable until the end of his days if he let her. And she had told him the truth about everything? He looked up at Hercule, warring with himself. He didn't want to lose Mr. Satan's business or have him make a poor statement about his restaurant. But this was personal. "You really think a person like her can change?" he asked darkly.

Hercule glanced around, this conversation was better for private around a bottle of whiskey or something like that. His mind flashed to his own father, the monster he had been to his mother and himself. He looked at Goten, trying to blink away the tears in his own eyes as he thought about it. "I would like to hope so."

Goten shook his head as he placed the food into a bag and offered it over to Mr. Satan. "Be careful. People who get too close to Chichi end up hurt. Don't let her do to you what she did to my father." That still set Goten's blood on fire, even to this day. It made him furious that Goku had suffered for so many years at her hand. None of them had deserved the things Chichi had done. Not him. Not his brother. And certainly not his father.

Hercule nodded as he gingerly took the boxes of food that were offered to him. "We should talk some time, in a more private setting. Your place and just myself." He said sincerely. He looked to Paige. "Let me pay you guys for this first," he said, waving over his shoulder at Goten. "Thanks for this again."

* * *

Chichi sat miserably in the jail cell, feeling humiliated and worthless. The officers had been less than professional when dealing with her, saying all sorts of crude things that made her skin crawl. They threatened to take her back to Maxwell, saying he was on his way for a visit. That scared her more than anything. She refused to talk to them, which only seemed to anger them more. She sniffled and pressed herself more into the corner of the cell, wiping at her eyes, streaking mascara across her face. What a nightmare.

She jumped and gave a frightened little squeak when one of the officers came to the door of her cell and announced that someone had posted bail on her behalf. He seemed rather irritated about it as he opened the door and she scurried past him, eager to get to the front of the building. "Hercule!" she cried when she saw him standing there and she ran to him, flinging her arms around his neck, shaking all over. "Thank you. I knew you'd get me out of here."

Hercule held her tightly against him. He frowned at how much she trembled in his embrace. He cupped the back of her head to him and gave a nasty glare at the police officers before he turned his back on them. "Come on, Little Lady. I heard word that Maxwell was on his way." He wrapped an arm around her protectively as he walked her outside. "They didn't hurt you did they? I have my lawyers all over this mess. They will be lucky if they keep their job until the end of the night," he said bitterly.

"No, not really," Chichi answered, rubbing her wrists a little where she'd been handcuffed. She leaned into his side as they walked, needing the comfort of his strong presence. She felt relief hit her as they approached Hercule's car. "Thank god," she gasped. She paled the next second when she recognized Maxwell's silver car as it pulled up in front of the police station. "Let's go," she said quickly and slid into the back seat of the car, wanting very much to not see Maxwell in that moment. She'd had enough for one night.

Hercule scowled at the silver car and pulled the door shut behind him, locking the door just in time to see a furious Maxwell bang his fist on the roof of his own car. "Take us home, Anthony," he barked. This night had been a bust. Instead of the nice, relaxing dinner he had planned it was filled with stress, bad news and he was not happy. He leaned back in the seat as the car started moving, rubbing at his face.

Chichi scooted closer to Hercule, hesitating for a moment before she leaned her head on his chest and slid her arms around his waist. She could see the frustration in his eyes, could see how angry and disappointed he was. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen tonight. I know you went to a lot of trouble to make tonight nice and Maxwell just ruined it for us. I'm so sorry, Hercule." She bit her lip and hid her face in his shirt, feeling lower than dirt.

Hercule shook his head, cradling her to him. "It's not your fault, Little Lady. Don't you worry about it. I was glad I could get you out of there before Maxwell got there. He is really starting to get on my nerves. But don't worry about dinner, I think it can still be saved. Had Goten fix us up fresh plates. We can go home and eat them in front of the fireplace," he said, watching her reaction when he said her son's name.

Chichi felt herself tense when Hercule said Goten's name. She slowly tilted her face up to him, blinking at him. "You… you spoke to Goten?" she asked. She felt her heart sink. She had wanted to speak to him at the Christmas party, but after the way Gohan reacted to her, she didn't dare. It had been painfully obvious to her at dinner that Goten wanted nothing to do with her. "I know Paige had to have told him that you were with me at dinner. Did he say anything? I'm sorry if he was rude to you because of me."

"More of just the same of what I have heard before. Warning me not to let myself get too close to you, that you'll hurt me in the end." He rubbed at his face as he leaned back. "I didn't want to say too much on your behalf without you there, but I think if anything, tonight showed them that you are trying to change. Maybe he will give you a chance to say your piece when you finally gather up the courage to talk to him."

"Or maybe you should take his advice and run away screaming for your life," she muttered and bit at her nails. "Maxwell isn't going to stop. He's going to make us miserable at every turn. We can't even eat dinner without him interrupting it." She sighed and shook her head as she leaned against his side. "Maybe I should just do it and get it over with. After tonight, though, who knows what he'll think of me. I should've done it sooner before all of this happened."

Hercule wrapped his arm around her, rubbing his thumb against her shoulder. "Couldn't hurt, could it?" He sighed, "And that bastard has got to realize that you won't be coming back to him. He's just stubborn and powerful. Not a good combination if I ever saw one. It's whatever you want to do, Little Lady. Maybe if you say your apologies that will do something, maybe turn the curse around and such."

Chichi gave a mirthless laugh. "It might hurt with Paige around. It might hurt a LOT." She gave a sigh. "I'll do it soon. Just, after tonight, I think maybe I should steer clear for a bit. I can't imagine Goten's very happy about the scene that took place in his restaurant. I know how important that place is to him. I hope he doesn't get a lot of press about that, especially since that reporter was there." She glanced out the window as they pulled to a stop in front of Hercule's home and the driver got out to open the door for them. "I think I'm just going to hide in your house forever. That's all there is to it. You're never getting rid of me now."

Hercule chuckled as he followed her out of the car and into his home. "That's implying that I was planning on letting you go at all. I'm afraid you're stuck with me and all of my good looks." He grinned at her, pausing to touch his own broken nose. "You'll get through this. No one ever said it was going to be easy."

"It was your good looks that drew me in in the first place," she smiled. She paused inside the door and reached up to cup his cheek, admiring him for a moment. "I really am lucky to have you." She gave a small smile. "Are you sure you want to keep me? I'm kind of a handful."

Hercule chuckled and gave her an affectionate slap on her rear when he was sure no one was looking. "Oh I know you are. Such a delightful handful you are too," he said as he drew her into his arms and leaned down to kiss at her nec., "The things you do to me. Come on. Before our second meal gets cold."

Chichi gasped out at his actions, but smiled as he pulled her close. Her stomach gave a growl and she blushed with an embarrassed giggle. "Can we eat? I was so excited about tonight, I didn't eat much today. I'm starving," she admitted as she took his hand and walked towards the dining room. "Do you think your lawyer will be able to straighten everything out? I mean, they can't just get away with filing false charges, can they? Even with everything I did in the past, I never used drugs. Never."

Hercule smiled. "Oh yeah. They are really good at getting through bullshit like that. I imagine Maxwell might have gone a step further and planted drugs somewhere in your room back at his place. Don't know if he would check dates on that stuff or not, but you know. Depends on what kind of drugs they are. You'll be cleared. Might have to do a drug test for those stupid judges though. Sometimes I think this whole city is corrupt," he said as he entered the kitchen, waving at the chef on duty as he went for the microwave. "Hey, think you could open a bottle of wine for us?" He smiled at the chef's nod and transferred the contents of the boxes onto plates. "Here we go. This should heat up nicely."

Chichi stepped up behind Hercule and slid her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. Gods, she was so lucky to have this man in her life. She didn't know what she would do without him. She sniffled and buried her face into the back of his shirt. "Thank you for everything," she said softly. "You really are amazing, you know that? I don't think I've ever met anyone as kind and understanding as you are. As forgiving as you are. I'm really, really lucky to have you." She didn't want to let go of him, afraid he might somehow slip away from her or that she might wake from this dream somehow. He was her whole world now. "I'd be so lost if I didn't have you."

Hercule turned in her arms as he switched the microwave on, smiling down at her. "Careful, my ego is pretty big as it is, you sure you want to be feeding it?" He chuckled, leaning down and kissing her softly, "Doesn't everyone deserve someone they can connect with? So few people know the real me. It's such a hassle with the fake persona I've put up over the years. It's worth it, but it's nice to have someone who can see through all of that. Thank you, Chichi," he said as the microwave beeped at them. He turned and fetched both plates, handing Chichi's beef wellington to her with a flourish. "Come on, let's go eat in the dining room."

She turned to lead the way to the dining room and set her plate down before she pulled out his chair for him and sat down in her own. The scent of the food hit her nose and her mouth watered. She remembered that he'd said at the restaurant that they should trade bites. She carefully cut a bit of her food and balanced it on her fork as she held it out for him. "Did you still want to taste it?" she asked. "You have to share a bite of yours though," she added with a little smile.

Hercule smiled at her, scooting his chair closer to her before he leaned down and sealed his lips around the fork before he slowly pulled back, his eyes closing in sheer pleasure as the flavors burst on his tongue. He opened his eyes and fixed her with a look. "Delicious," he purred to her before he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her lips. He pulled back and cut into his steak, getting a bite of the mushrooms as well. He held it out to her, smiling. This was better than the restaurant. It was good to be safe in their home, away from prying eyes and jealous, soon to be ex-husband.

Chichi gave a moan of appreciation as she leaned over and took the bite from his fork. The steak was perfectly cooked, the earthy mushrooms more delicious than anything she could remember before. "That's amazing," she said, chewing slowly to savor it for a moment. A sad little smile touched her lips as she cut into her own dinner to eat. "I know he's not my son anymore, not really, but I am really proud of Goten and what he's accomplished," she said before she paused to chew, nearly moaning again. "I know things will never be right between us. But I really do need to tell him I'm sorry for what I did."

He reached over to her, placing a warm hand over hers, "I'm glad that you do. I am sure you will get that chance before you know it. This might be a case where actions speak louder than words, but it's going to take time, no matter what happens." He ate another piece of steak, chewing thoughtfully, "We will find a way, Little Lady."

Chichi nodded, going quiet for a few minutes as they ate their late dinner. There was someone else she owed an apology to as well. "Mark," she said softly, hesitating for a minute as she looked over at him. "I… I think want to apologize to Goku next. I think I'd be more comfortable talking to him before Goten. You're sure you don't mind if I talk to him, right?" Maxwell always threatened to leave her or punish her in some way if she spoke to other men. She never understood why, she'd had no intentions of leaving him at that point in their marriage. But still, she wanted to make sure that Hercule wouldn't be upset with her if she did decide to try to speak to her ex-husband.

Hercule blinked at her. "Why would I be upset about that? I think that it's a great idea. Do you want me to come with you? I could drive. Where does he live? Do you want to do this soon?" he asked as he ate, thanking his chef when he brought them the wine and two glasses. He looked at Chichi seriously as he took a sip of the delicious liquid. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"He lives way up north now with his wife and husband," she answered. "A cabin in the middle of the woods. I guess it would be okay if you came with me. I'm not, you know, really sure when we should go. I can't call or anything. They don't have a phone." She paused and looked down at her plate for a moment. "Sorry. I should've known you wouldn't mind. I just didn't know. Might be awkward since he's my ex and all. Maxwell always got jealous when I spoke to other men. Hated anytime I mentioned Goku, not that I did it often or anything."

Hercule smiled at her, reaching out and cupping her cheek. "Of course I wouldn't mind. It's a chapter in your life that you need to close, why wouldn't I support that?" he asked. "Why don't we go tomorrow? I'm off with nothing to do. We can go to the cabin and then maybe some comfort food afterwards. Here at the house of course. I think I'm done with restaurants for the moment."

Chichi wasn't expecting to go so soon, but maybe it would be better that way before she lost her nerve. She nodded. "That sounds good," she said, before she added with a little laugh. "And yes, no more restaurants for a long time."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry about the confusion with the chapters. Chapter 16 got moved to chapter 17. I realized I had a chapter saved but forgot to post it. So the new chapter is now chapter 16. Clear as mud? Good.


	19. A Long Overdue Apology

Chichi was as nervous as a sinner in church as she and Hercule drove out to Tien's cabin. She hadn't been there in years, not since Goten was very little. She was amazed that she still remembered the way. She kept playing with her skirt, fidgeting nervously, tucking her hair behind her ear or running her fingers through it. "This is a bad idea, this is a bad idea," she whispered over and over to herself. Sabriena would kill her for showing up there.

Hercule hadn't driven in a long time; it was good to be behind the wheel again. He insisted on it just being the two of them. She didn't need any more stress than what this was already going to be. He looked over at her. "You look beautiful, Chichi. Don't you worry about a thing. I have your back should the worst happen. I hope it doesn't. From what you've told me and I've seen, he's a nice guy who wouldn't hurt anyone. So chin up, okay?" He had to be honest, he liked to be alone with her, driving out so far on their own. He just wished they weren't doing it on such an important day.

"Okay," she agreed, nodding her head. She could do this. She had to do this. He was right; she needed to close this chapter in her life so she could move on. "Oh gods," she whimpered as they started to land in the yard. She could see Tien standing outside, chopping wood, bundled up against the freezing cold.

Tien turned, narrowing his eyes at the unfamiliar car that landed in the yard. He adjusted his cloak around his shoulders before he rested the axe on his shoulder. No one came to visit them who drove a car out there, save for Bulma. And that wasn't her energy in the car. His back went stiff as he did recognize the energy. What the hell was she doing here? He scowled at her as she and Hercule stepped out into the snow. "You're not welcome here, Chichi. You know that. Now go home," he barked before he turned back to his work, swinging his axe with more force than was necessary.

Chichi's shoulders slumped and she gave Hercule an uncertain look. "I know that, Tien," she said. "But I really need to speak to Goku. Please? I… I promise I won't cause any trouble. I just want to talk to him."

Tien gave a mirthless bark of laughter. "All you've EVER done is cause trouble," he said without turning to her. "You know, I held my tongue at the Christmas party because I respect Bulma and Vegeta. But if you don't go home now, I'm not going to exercise the same restraint."

Goku opened the door to the cabin, peeking out as he tugged his own cloak tighter around himself. He felt the energy out in the yard. He didn't want his mate out there alone with Chichi. His eyes flickered towards Hercule and Chichi before they went to Tien. "Are you alright, Tien?" he asked, stepping out with a shiver. The frigid wind up north was biting cold and even after all these years, he still hadn't gotten used to it. He looked to Chichi and Hercule, "What's going on?"

"I'm fine," Tien answered, turning again towards Chichi, moving closer to stand protectively next to Goku. He couldn't work it out in his head. No one could make it past the barrier of spells unless they meant absolutely no harm, yet here she was standing in their front yard.

"Goku," Chichi said in a small voice, looking at her ex-husband. "I just wanted to talk to you for a minute. I promise I'm not here to stir up any drama. I just have some things I want to say, I need to say. If you could just listen, just for a minute, I promise I'll leave you alone. Please?" She hoped he would hear her out. She had to get this off her chest.

Goku looked at Chichi for a moment, sparing Tien a look before he turned around and headed back into the cabin. "Come in, it's too cold out here," he said before he looked at his wife. He wrapped Sabriena in his arms, leaning down to kiss her ear, "Shh, let her say what she came to say. She got past the barrier."

Sabriena's eyes went wide with fury as Chichi and Hercule stepped into her home. "You," she snarled, shaking in Goku's arms. She hadn't forgotten the report that Paige had brought to her a while back, the one where Chichi bragged about how proud she was of her son. She practically bared her teeth at the older woman. "Make it fast," she growled. She turned in Goku's arms and planted a long kiss on his lips. "Don't you let anything she says get to you," she murmured in his ear before she stomped off to her kitchen.

Chichi swallowed, shaking all over, and it wasn't from the cold. She didn't blame Sabriena and Tien for reacting the way they did. She reached over and grasped Hercule's hand for support for just a moment before she looked to Goku and walked closer to him. "I know you probably won't believe a single word I say. And I don't blame you for that. But I just… Goku, I wanted to say I'm sorry."

Goku watched Chichi carefully. It didn't seem like Hercule was forcing her to say she was sorry. He looked nervous, as if he was ready to step in to her defense if need be. It didn't make sense, like she said, he wouldn't believe her words. But this was different than any other time he had heard her say it. There were no cameras, no audience, just her and someone to protect her. "Sorry for what? I want to hear it," he said, not sure where his confidence came from - Tien, Sabriena, or both.

"I'm sorry for everything," she said, feeling a little more confident herself. He wasn't yelling at her, so that was a good sign. "I'm sorry for making you sleep on that couch. I'm sorry for constantly telling you that you weren't good enough, that you weren't doing things right. I know you just wanted to help and I wouldn't let you." She paused, swallowing harshly to fight the urge to cry. She felt horrible for the things she'd done. "I'm sorry I denied you so much. I wasn't a good wife to you and all you tried to do was to be a good husband to me. I didn't let you love me the way you wanted to and I'm sorry that I didn't love you the way you deserved. And most of all, I'm sorry for what I did to your son. Words can't begin to express how much I loathe myself for what I did. I'm not asking your forgiveness, Goku. I know I don't deserve it. But I did want you to know that I learned my lesson. And I'm truly, from the bottom of my heart, sorry."

Goku felt his eyes prickling with tears as Chichi spoke. Her words were honest, but he couldn't think of why she was having this change of heart. Unless… His eyes flickered to Hercule. He knew from experience that the right people could change you. He knew that Tien and Sabriena had changed him. They were his rocks, his support in the darkest hour. "You've learned your lesson? I don't know, Chichi. Goten and I came back after we learned our lessons. It wasn't good enough for you. It never was. Why should we accept this apology now?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "You don't have to," she said. "I won't blame you if you don't. And this isn't some ploy to bother you. He didn't persuade me to come here," she said, gesturing to Hercule behind her. "This is something I wanted to do. I just had to say it to you. I realized the hurt I caused you and the boys. And I feel terrible for it. I was a mean, nasty, vicious person and I don't want to be that anymore. The woman I was… she scares me. It makes my skin crawl to think that I used to be that. I just, I'm trying to change who I am. I'm trying to change the way I view things, the way I react to things." She choked a little and hastily wiped the tear from her eye, not wanting to cry in front of him. She'd used that tactic too much when they were married and her tears had never been genuine. "I want to change and I needed to do this as part of the process. I needed you to know."

Goku looked at Chichi for a long moment. Hercule was watching them all carefully. He wouldn't harm them. Not that they could. He wasn't sure what he could say. What he could do. He watched Chichi's expression, but he didn't get anything from it. Not the sick feeling he felt anytime she talked to him, his children. She was being honest. "You… You really mean it this time," he said, a statement. "Why? What's changed? Why do you care now?"

"Because I know how much it hurts. The things I did to you, I've experienced it firsthand now. And I know how wrong I was. And the things I did to Goten, I know how that feels, too," she answered honestly. "Arthusia's curse worked. It's still working." She paused when she heard a noise from the doorway to the kitchen and she turned to see Sabriena standing there, her arms crossed, looking fierce. "Sabriena, I… I wanted to say thank-you."

Sabriena raised a skeptical eyebrow. "For what?" she asked in a dangerous tone.

"For stopping me," Chichi answered. "You're the one who saved Goten. If you hadn't stepped in when you did, I don't know how long it might have gone on. I know I was nothing but hateful and nasty to you from day one, but you're not the person I thought you were. You're a much better person than I could ever hope to be. So thank you for saving him. Thank you for being a good mother to him."

Sabriena blinked at Chichi, completely bewildered. She didn't know what to say. She looked at Goku, her expression clearly saying, 'What the fuck?' She looked at Chichi again. "Okay," she said, unsure of what else she could say, and went back into her kitchen feeling totally confused.

Hercule watched the exchange, ready to step in at a moment's notice. They were clearly on edge with Chichi, that much he could see. He wasn't sure if he trusted them. They looked as if they were about to attack. He was still having some weird feelings about two men and one woman in a serious relationship. But he mentally smacked himself the next moment; he knew better than to judge people like that.

Goku blinked back at Sabriena before he looked at Chichi. He worked his lip between his teeth as he thought. He wanted to close this. He had talked with Tien and Sabriena about it countless times. "Chichi," he said, unsure of what to say to her, "Thank you for being honest with me. I… need time to think on what you've said. But thank you for coming to say this to me."

The tiniest of smiles touched Chichi's lips. "Thank you for listening to me, for letting me talk. I know this was… awkward. But thank you. Really." She turned to leave, but paused and looked at him again. "I have a question for you now. I really want to apologize to Goten, too. But if you don't think it's a good idea, I won't say a word to him. It's up to you. You're his father. Could I speak to Goten?"

Goku was floored, his eyes widened at her, flickering to Hercule and then back to her. It was insane; he couldn't believe what he had just heard. He blinked at Chichi, his eyes wide. Did he want her talking to Goten? He couldn't remember a time when she asked him permission before. He thought about it, his initial thought was to say no. Though, he did think it was a good idea. "Okay. Yeah," he said, "I think you should talk to him. Just, you know, just watch out for Paige. You know how she is around him."

"Yes, I remember," Chichi said. "We saw her last night. Hercule took me to Goten's restaurant for dinner. She didn't look too impressed that I was there, but she didn't say anything to me. Hercule spoke to Goten; there was a sort of incident. Maxwell accused me of something I didn't do. It's all a mess but it's getting straightened out. His restaurant is beautiful. I don't know if I'm supposed to say this or not, but for what it's worth, I'm very proud of him. I'm so glad he had you all to encourage him to do what he loves. I… I just want him to be happy."

The door slammed against the wintry air as Tien stepped into the cabin. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard Chichi say. This whole thing was strange to him. Chichi being humble, genuine, apologizing for what she'd done. Hercule being in their cabin; that in and of itself was just plain bizarre to Tien. He skirted around Hercule and slung his cloak off his shoulders to drape it over the back of his chair, shivering. He sat down in his chair and gave Sabriena a smile as she brought him a steaming cup of coffee. "Thank you, baby," he said softly to her as she kissed his cheek. He settled himself back in his chair, drinking deeply from the cup as he surveyed the situation before him, not speaking a word to anyone else.

Sabriena paused to hand a second cup to Goku and to pull his own cloak from his shoulders, which he'd forgotten to take off when he came back inside. She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek lovingly. She wasn't sure she wanted Chichi to speak to Goten, but she'd learned a long time ago to trust Goku's judgment. If Chichi was sincere, if this was part of Gramma's curse working its magick, then she wasn't about to interfere. She hung the cloak near the fireplace before she disappeared into the kitchen again.

Goku shivered as Sabriena took off his cloak and he went to stand next to Tien, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder, pausing to rub affectionately at the mating mark on his love's neck as he looked at Chichi and Hercule. He wasn't sure what to think of this. He had apologized to Goten countless of times for not being able to see what was right in front of his face, for not being around when he should have to keep him safe. To protect him from his own mother. He wasn't sure if he could forgive himself. Goten aside, Chichi was here apologizing to him for what she had done to him. For all those cold nights on a lumpy couch, cold, small or nonexistent meals. For not loving him back.

He didn't know if he could be mad at her for that. They both made mistakes, but he wouldn't have his two wonderful children if it wasn't for her. Heck, if he was being honest, he wouldn't have had his daughter Lindsey as well for the time he'd gotten to spend with her. Or his grandchildren. He wouldn't have found his true mates if it were not for Chichi. In an offhand kind of way, she tried everything in her power to keep him from being happy, yet she had set all of this in motion. He wouldn't have any of it if it hadn't been for her. To hear the apology from her in such a humble way did in some part feel good, was he ready to accept it though? To close out this? That sounded appealing. To be done with it, once and for all. He looked at her again, she was changing. He could see it in her eyes, the way she dressed. She looked more laid back, her hair wasn't up in that bun, but pulled up in something that seemed to suit her. "I'm not sure what to say, Chichi."

Hercule watched with interest. He had heard of relationships like this. A married couple and a third wheel, but this didn't feel like that at all. There was a peace in and about the cabin that suggested harmony. The way the three acted, it was an equal gesture of love. He had never quite seen it this strongly before between two men, though he supposed he shouldn't be surprised. He squeezed Chichi's hand tightly as he watched them.

"You don't have to say anything, Goku," Chichi said softly. "It's okay. I know. I'm just really happy that you were willing to listen to me. I wasn't sure if you would. I don't know when I'll go and try to talk to Goten. But I promise, I will. And if he doesn't want to talk to me, I won't push the issue. I won't make a scene. I don't want to hurt him. I've done enough of that. I know it doesn't fix anything, but I swear to you, I won't ever hurt your family again."

Tien placed his hand over Goku's that still rested on his shoulder. For once, he was the one who was freezing and Goku's hand felt warm. "I hope you mean that, Chichi," he said, watching her carefully. "I know you came here today without the intent to cause anyone harm. You couldn't have found our home otherwise. I just hope you keep to it. What happens from here is Goku's decision and I'll support whatever he wants to do. Regardless, don't screw up again. It looks like you have a chance to start over again. Most people don't get that. Don't squander it." He took a long drink of coffee, warming his insides. He curled his fingers tighter around Goku's hand as he looked at Hercule. "Watch yourself, Mr. Satan. I want to believe her. I really do. But I've seen firsthand what she's done to people. My mate. Our son. If you think she's changed, then I hope you're right. But keep an eye on her. She's hurt stronger men than you." He had no qualms about speaking what he thought of Chichi right in front of her. He was half-tempted to go on a tirade about how long it had taken him and Sabriena to help Goku overcome his insecurities, how painful it was to watch the most powerful warrior in the universe second guess himself, hate himself even at times. But Chichi had already brought all that up, apologized for it, and he decided there was no point in being redundant.

Hercule watched as Goku moved to sit next to Tien, holding his cold hands between his own. It was such a tender gesture. The look in Tien's eyes was still as hard as steel as he looked at Chichi and he nodded at the other man, "I know she's changed. I will hold her to it, to stick with it. But I believe she has changed, the person she was died when the aliens killed her. It doesn't make it right and we can't change the past, but going forward she can change what happens from this point on."

Goku looked over at them for a moment, rubbing Tien's hands between his own. Chichi had to be sincere, if she wasn't, if she had intended harm, she couldn't have come there in the first place. He couldn't believe she was with Hercule of all people and even while she was still technically married to Maxwell. He blinked as he realized she was going through the steps of the curse in her own way now. They were her own, maybe her curse was on its way out the more she became a better person, the person she had accused Goku of being, that Maxwell was. He wasn't sure what he felt. Nothing? Shouldn't he feel something for her finding happiness with someone who fought on a nearly daily basis as a way of supporting his family? When he, Goku, was scorned for doing the same? _'Let it go,'_ he thought. "I hope you find your happiness," he said quietly, looking at Tien a moment before he leaned forward and placed his head against his mate's. He wanted to curl up in bed with them, forget about this visit. It was so much easier to hate, but he couldn't deny the weight that seemed to lift from his shoulders, knowing that she was truly sorry.

Chichi gave him a tiny smile. "Thank you, Goku," she answered quietly. "I'm glad you found yours." She felt a little bit of pride for herself well in her chest; she didn't feel judgmental at all as she watched the interaction between Goku and Tien. Always before, she felt the urge to sneer at them, to tell them how wrong they were, how it made her skin crawl to see them together. But now, she felt none of that. All she felt was a peaceful warmth that filled the cabin. She smiled a bit more and looked at Hercule, "I think we should go now." She looked back to her ex once again. "Thank you for listening. And Tien, thank you for letting me talk to him." She looked into the kitchen and said a quick goodbye to Sabriena before she curled her fingers a little tighter around Hercule's hand and led him outside. She grabbed onto his arm to steady herself once the door shut behind them; she hadn't realized how badly her knees were shaking. "Do you think that was okay? Did I say everything right?" she asked, blinking up at him.

Hercule hugged her tightly, pulling her against him, shielding her from the biting cold wind. "You did amazing, Little Lady. I am so proud of you. It looks like they were surprised to see you, I think you did great. It's the first step, putting this behind you. A weight off your shoulders. Hopefully the next party, things will be less tense." He kissed her forehead and led her to the car, opening the door for her. He felt eyes on them as he helped her into the car and closed the door for her. He looked up to see eyes peeking at him from the kitchen window, he gave a little wave before he got into the car and started it up. "Nice little place they have. But it's too cold for me, I think."

Chichi nodded. "I think that's part of why Tien chose this place to build his home. He used to be quite the loner. I think he was using the cold to keep people away," she said, shivering a little bit as she waited for the car to heat up. She felt so much better now that it was all said and done. She relaxed back in her seat a bit more, feeling the weight lift from her shoulders. "Thank you for coming with me. I'm so glad I did this. Even if they still hate me and never speak to me again, at least I know I got to say what I wanted to say." She sighed and looked out the window. "Now I just hope that Goten will let me say the same to him."

Hercule looked over at her as they rose above the tree line. "I'm sure you'll get the opportunity sometime. Hopefully soon, you know these things just take time. I've often imagined pain, mental pain, to be like nailing nails into a piece of wood. Each nail a negative pain. Then you go and apologize, you take the nail out of the board. There's still going to be a hole there. A reminder that can't heal. It takes a bit of extra work to smooth that over. If that makes sense?"

Chichi nodded. "It does. I just wish I'd never put the nails in there to begin with." She reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing it as she smiled at him. "You always know the right things to say. I'm so lucky to have you."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Trying to make up for lost time, guys! Thanks for the reviews. I really do feel bad for not updating for so long. Love you guys!


	20. Chandelier

Chichi sighed contentedly, feeling so much better as Hercule drove them towards his home. "Now can we go home and hide in the bedroom all day?" she asked with a little giggle. "I just wanna curl up in front of the fireplace with you and hide from the world."

Hercule smirked at her, feeling his groin tighten at the thought of hiding with her in bed, or naked in front of the fireplace laying out on some quilts and plush pillows. "Yes, please, Little Lady," he said, lamenting that they had a long drive home. He fiddled with the idea of pulling over and taking her right there in the car, but the warmth of home was very appealing. He cast a sideways glance at her, inhaling the wonderful scent of her, the soft vanilla. "Gods, I can't wait to have you to myself at home." His cock throbbed. "I think laying in front of the fireplace is a great idea."

Chichi's eyes widened a bit when she saw his erection straining against his pants. It set her on fire to know that she could turn him on so much with just a simple suggestion. She didn't know if she could wait to get all the way back to his home. She let go of his hand and reached for his crotch, rubbing at the hot, hard flesh through his pants. She felt a little bold, being out in the middle of nowhere as they flew over the trees. She bit her bottom lip as she stroked him through his pants, watching him carefully. "I can't wait, either," she said softly.

Hercule couldn't stop the moan that escaped his lips. Her hand on him was too much, he had to have her right then. Half of him thought about her going down on him while he drove, but he would like to get back to the house in one piece. He quickly went back down to the ground, landing down into an area in the middle of the woods, thick with trees. He left the car running but put it in park before he unbuckled his seat and reached to the side to scoot it back the rest of the way before he clicked Chichi's belt off. "Come here, you minx," he purred as he pulled her into his lap, grinding his crotch up against her as he claimed her lips in a passionate kiss. His hands roaming over her, hiking her skirt up and slipping his hand under her shirt almost desperately.

Chichi cried out as his hand closed over her breast, her nipples already hard and sensitive from the biting cold. She ground her hips down on him, moaning lightly at the feel of him pressing up against her. She kissed back at him feverishly, her core throbbing for him. Her hands quickly worked his belt loose, his pants, freeing him from the restrictive fabric. She moaned again as she wrapped her hands around the hot flesh, stroking it, loving the girth in her hands. "I have to have you," she panted before she slipped her panties to the side and plunged herself down on him, crying out again as his thick cock speared her.

Hercule gave a shout as she sank down on him of her own accord. "Oh good gods, Chichi, you are so tight!" He reached up, grasping her hips and lifted her up before he brought her down again. Gods, he was so ravenous for her. "Ride me, ride me hard," he begged as he let his hands move up, pushing her shirt up to expose her breasts. He pulled her bra down to bare her skin to him. "Look at how indecent we are," he purred before he leaned forward and sealed his lips around a pert nipple, teasing his tongue against her while his other hand moved to pinch and twist teasingly at the other one.

A hot blush crossed her cheekbones at his comment, but somehow it only fueled her lust for him. She bounced harder on his cock, moaning wantonly as his cock filled her, stretched her, a slow burn working its way through her body. His hot mouth on her chilled flesh was nothing short of incredible. She cradled his head to her breast, tangling her fingers into the dark curls of his hair. "I hope we're far enough away that no one will see us," she gasped, grinding down on him for a moment, her head falling back at the delicious friction. "Can you imagine what would happen if anyone saw us?" She gyrated her hips in his lap for a minute before she raised up and plunged down forcefully on him, a scream of pleasure escaping her lips.

Hercule grinned at her as he panted, pulling back to look at her. "Mmm, I bet you would like it. Knowing someone is watching you, appreciating your body. Knowing that they can't have you, to see how much pleasure you get from me." He loved the bright pink blush that formed on her cheeks, but she was slick on his cock and she only bounced on him more enthusiastically. "I would sit you on my lap, with your back against my chest. Spread your legs wide, show them how wet you are for me before I would slide you down on my cock." He had an idea in mind when they got home. Maybe not an audience, but he had wanted to include the mirror in their play for some time. He moaned against her, sealing his mouth around her again and suckled against her. His hands wrapped around her, sliding down her back, down to tease at her round ass, squeezing her.

Chichi squeezed her eyes shut at his words. She hated and loved the idea at the same time. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bouncing harder, faster on him as long strands of her hair fell away from their pins, framing her face. "You are so bad," she scolded lightly. "You enjoy embarrassing me, don't you?" She leaned back into his hands a little more, whining at the feel of his strong hands gripping her ass. She captured his lips in a searing kiss again before she threw her head back and cried out her pleasure. He was so large within her, inescapable, making her impossibly wet as her body ached and clenched around him.

He moaned against her, feeling his orgasm building, his balls pulling up tight against his body. He smiled at her. "Just helping you become more comfortable in your own skin. I would never do anything you don't want to do." He groaned against her, "And that pink blush on your face is lovely." He moaned. "I need to show you how lovely you are. I have an idea for when we get home. You are going to love it." He gasped out as she rode him hard, squeezing around him. "Gods, I don't think I can hold on for much longer," he panted.

She wondered what he might have planned for them back at home, the possibilities exciting her even more. Her center throbbed, a heat building in her as her orgasm began to wash over her. "Then come for me," she whispered in a sultry voice before she cried out, tensing and shaking as white-hot bliss claimed her entire being. She rode out her orgasm, screaming out his name, driving herself down on his hard cock, determined to make him come for her. She wanted it, wanted to feel him pulse within her, to fill her with his hot cum.

Hercule couldn't stand it, her sultry voice demanding him to fill her. He roared as he came, pulling her down tightly over his cock as he did. He felt his cock jerk and twitch as he filled her with his hot essence. "Oh gods, Chichi!" he roared, making sure to fill her with every last drop. He was ravenous for her, his cock barley softening as he finished, letting his head fall back against the headrest. He opened his eyes, looking at her half lidded as he spanned his palm over her lower abdomen, feeling himself inside of her. "So good, you are so good taking all of that."

Chichi shivered as he ran his hand over her stomach. "I love it," she breathed, looking down at his hand, almost feeling too shy to meet his eyes in that moment. She ran her fingertips over the back of his knuckles, tracing the sides of his fingers. "I love what you do to me, how good you make me feel. You make me feel beautiful again," she said softly, still slightly breathless from the intense orgasm.

He smiled, lifting his hand to tilt her chin up. Her hair was wild about her face, flushed pink from their activity. Her chest still exposed to him so he reached up with his free hand, gently running a fingertip around her nipple, sighing at the softness beneath. "You are so beautiful like this. You make me so happy, Little Lady." He rocked up against her. "Gods, I have to have you again. I'm so hard for you," he moaned. "But home, we have to get home. I want to try something a little new," he said with a smirk as he lifted her up off of his cock, watching as he slipped out of her, his essence running back out of her and down his shaft.

Chichi whimpered as he slipped from her body and she moved to sit in her own seat, feeling empty and longing for him to fill her again. "I was never happy before I met you," she said, reaching over to hold his hand again. She almost pouted as he tucked himself back into his clothes, wishing the drive home wasn't so long. She looked him up and down, curiosity getting the best of her. "What did you have in mind?" she asked.

He started the car and they quickly rose up into the air and took off before he cast a sideways glance at her. "Well, I was thinking about repositioning the full length mirror in my room," he said before he paused and gave her another wicked look. He had to say it, he loved the blush that spread on her face. It was so lovely. "And maybe see if Madeline and Ryan are free."

Chichi was totally confused about what a mirror had to do with anything or why he would need Madeline and Ryan to help him move it. It wasn't that big of a piece of furniture. "Okay," she said uncertainly and sat back in her seat, feeling totally bewildered. She stared out the window as they drove home; it felt like the longest drive she'd ever been on. She kept shifting in her seat, fighting the urge to whine. She wanted him again so bad. She nearly jumped out of her seat as they approached the house and she leaned over to give him a passionate kiss before she fumbled with her seatbelt, eager to get him into the bedroom. It finally clicked open and she leaned over towards Hercule once more, kissing and sucking at the side of his neck as she reached down to cup his length in her hand. "Take me upstairs," she begged in a heated whisper. "I want you again. Please?"

He grinned at her as she cupped him and he moaned longingly. "Come on then, Little Lady," he said as he hopped out of the car, curling his fingers around her hand and led her inside, waving to the doorman before they hurried up the stairs. He opened his bedroom door with a flourish, happy to see a warm fire crackling away in the fire place. He shrugged off his jacket and went over to the mirror, loosening his tie as he started to drag the mirror until it was positioned at the foot of the bed. He grinned over at Chichi, "I was just kidding about Madeline and Ryan, unless of course, you are interested."

Chichi's eyes went so wide, she thought they might pop out of her head. "You… you mean as an audience?" she gasped, her face going ten shades of red. "I don't think they'd be interested in that. I mean…" She stammered for a moment, her ears burning, feeling completely and totally flustered. "No! I don't want them to come watch us, are you mad?!" She wasn't angry, but she was in utter shock that he would suggest such a thing. She covered her face with her hands for a moment before she smacked playfully at his arm. "You are so BAD! I, oh, I don't know what to do with you!"

Hercule chuckled, tugging her to him. "Well, I can think of a few things. And I don't think they would want to watch us. Men kind of turn them off. They would be active participants." He couldn't hold a straight face and laughed at her red hot face, the way she slapped at his arm playfully. "Okay, okay. Get out of those clothes, I want to see you properly," he moaned into her ear, rubbing his hardness against her before he pulled back and stripped down completely naked and he went to go sit in front of the mirror. The heat from the fire place was perfect, washing half of him in a blissful warmth. He watched with hungry eyes as Chichi removed her clothes.

Chichi set her clothing aside before she turned to him, a smile on her face as she drank in his naked form. Gods, he was gorgeous, so ruggedly handsome. She bit her lower lip for a moment as she felt her core throb for him again and took a step towards him, but the next moment she froze in place as the mirror caught her attention. She'd been so flustered by his statements about Madeline and Ryan that her mind hadn't even registered that he'd moved the mirror. "What is that for?" she squeaked, pointing at the mirror, making sure not to walk close enough to see her own reflection in it.

Hercule smiled at her, watching the blush bloom over her cheeks again. He looked back in the mirror, he was sitting directly in front of it. He could see everything clearly, the way his cock throbbed, how red it was all over, the way it trembled in want. He could see his nipples starting to harden. He looked over at her. "It's a mirror. It does what mirrors do," he said holding a hand out to her, "Come here, beautiful. It's just you and me in here."

Chichi shook her head, taking a step back. She didn't want to see herself like that. It was too embarrassing. She looked at him again, the hunger and warmth in his eyes searing her to her very soul. She hesitantly reached out and took his hand, reluctantly letting him pull her to him. She moved to straddle his thigh, sitting in his lap, keeping her back to the mirror. If he wanted to watch, then she wouldn't deny him. If she kept her back to it, she could ignore the fact that the mirror was there. She writhed in his lap, moaning low in her throat as she moved to kiss at the side of his neck. "I want you again," she whispered in his ear.

Hercule chuckled at her, the way she was careful to not look at the mirror. He kissed her cheek. "I want you more than you know, but this is about you. I want you to turn around, face the mirror for me,Llittle Lady," he said as he stroked her lovely skin. "There isn't any shame in this," he murmured in her ear, "I want to show you something." He rubbed his hand lower, down over the delicious curve of her ass. He gently pushed on her shoulders, trying to get her to turn. "Trust me, baby."

Chichi bit her lip and closed her eyes, but nodded and let him turn her in his lap. She kept drawing deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. Her body was on fire for his touch, her wet center aching to be filled, her breasts tingling for his touch. She felt the strong muscles of his chest against her back and she blindly sought out his hand with her own, tangling their fingers together. She cracked open her eyes to look at the mirror, but closed them a second later as her own nakedness met her eyes. "Oh, I don't know about this," she said.

Hercule was nearly lost in his own world, his hot cock pressed up against her backside, nestled between her ass cheeks. He leaned forward, looking over her shoulder into the mirror, watching her closed eyes. "Shhh, you're alright," he said as he looked her over, her nipples rosy red, the soft black curls at the apex of her legs. He moved his hands, hers still entwined with his, and he lifted her legs so they rested over his knees. He watched the mirror, his mouth watering at the sight as he finally spread his legs wide and Chichi's legs along with him. It exposed her completely to him, showing him her red, glistening core. "Look at how beautiful you are."

Chichi dared to open her eyes again and nearly cried at the sight. She wiggled in his lap, but with her legs spread so wide, she didn't get far. Her breath felt short and she trembled in his lap. "Mark, I don't know about this," she whined. But the next moment, her eyes met his in the mirror and something within her calmed. He wasn't judging her. There was no evidence of disgust in his gaze. All she could see there was the love he had for her, the admiration he had that she couldn't see for herself. She swallowed and looked at the mirror again. Her hair a mess, her face bright pink with embarrassment. Her eyes traveled further down the reflective image to her full breasts, the flat plane of her stomach. She felt good about that - she'd worked hard in her training to get in better shape. She finally settled on her center, wet and spread open for him and she looked away again. It was weird to see her own body like that.

Hercule patiently waited as she looked herself over and he smiled. "There's my girl," he purred against her before he reached up, brushing her hair off of her shoulder before he leaned down and kissed at her skin, sucking a hickey to life before he reached around, trailing his finger over her skin, watching as she twitched beneath his touch. He gently circled it around her nipple, watching as it hardened. "Gods, I could watch you like this all day," he murmured against her skin. His cock throbbed as it was pressed between his body and her backside. "Soon I'm going to show you what it looks like when I'm sliding into your body. Front and back if you want," he said hotly against her ear, "Gods, you make me so hard. Look." He took his free hand, grasping hers, and raised it to her neglected breast.

Chichi gasped out as he teased her nipple, her hand lingering over her other breast. She'd never really touched herself before and certainly not in front of a mirror, but she brushed her fingertips over the flesh, moaning lightly as it firmed at her touch. She moved her hand to cup her own breast and pinched her nipple, rolling it between her thumb and forefinger. She leaned back against him as she touched herself, longing to feel him inside her again. "I want to see it," she whispered, sounding more confident than she felt. She wondered how it would be to see him slide into her body. "I want to watch you take me. Claim me. I want to see you fill me up."

Hercule smiled against her, moving her hand down to her own slick folds. "Spread yourself for me," he breathed as he lifted her up, watching in the mirror as she did as she was told. Gods, she was beautiful, practically dripping wet with need for him. He watched as his own cock sprang forward, resting the tip of himself against the opening to Chichi's body. It was engorged, throbbing and twitching. He wanted her so badly. He wondered if she would let him take her from behind. Maybe as they laid on the quilt in front of the fire later. He groaned, imaging the tight heat she would feel like back there. His cock twitched and in the mirror, he could see a bead of cum appear at the tip. He smiled at her as he finally lowered her back down over him slowly. Watching as her body parted and spread wider than before as he let her sink down on him, "Gods, you are so hot."

Chichi was panting already, the blush on her face burning hot as she parted her nether lips with one hand, her fingers in a V to spread herself wide for him. She couldn't believe how erotic it was to watch his length slide slowly into her, inch by delicious inch. She felt so incredibly full as she was impaled on his strong, hard cock. She moaned low in her throat as she came to a rest in his lap again, completely seated on his thick shaft. "Oh gods," she breathed, meeting his eyes in the mirror again before she looked down at their connected bodies. "That looks so good. You are so amazing."

He panted hard against her, kissing the flesh beneath his lips. He was so hot, so hard for her already. Watching her explore and try this new thing out was such a turn on, he could barely believe it. "Gods, just look at you. So perfect. Look how perfectly I fit inside of you," he said, his eyes lingering where his balls rested flush against her lips. He took her hand again, leading her fingers to the little nub nestled there, just above their connection. "Touch yourself here," he whispered.

Chichi gave a violent shiver as he gently commanded her to touch herself. She touched her clit, a whimpering moan escaping her throat as jolts of pleasure shot through her body. Oh, she loved that. She rubbed at it, feeling herself clench around his hard cock, gasping out at the pleasure that radiated throughout her body. "Oh gods," she gasped, working her fingers faster as she wiggled and writhed in his lap. Her breasts swelled and ached for his touch even more and she grabbed his wrist, dragging it back to her breast. She bit her bottom lip harshly as she pinched herself, the tiniest shock of pain quickly fading to pleasure and she did it again, daring to give the little nub a twist. "Oh, it feels so good. Are… are you sure this is okay?"

Hercule was holding onto her as her pleasure took hold and commanded her actions. He loved it, he was rock hard and throbbing, teetering on the edge of coming, but he held off. He loved the way she touched herself, a hand on her breast, hand between her legs. "Of course it is," he moaned against her ear as he rocked up into her over and over. "You are so beautiful like this. It's just us, it's just pleasure. You should be comfortable enough in your own skin to touch yourself. Know what feels good to you."

Chichi could feel her orgasm winding up, her body growing more and more tense in his embrace as she mercilessly teased herself. There was no stopping now. She was a wanton creature, desperately needing her release. "Do… do you ever touch yourself?" she asked without thinking. Her thoughts went to him, imagining him taking his thick length in his hand, stroking it, bringing himself pleasure. She could see his hand working over the hard flesh in her mind, the thick ropes of white cum that would burst from the tip as he came. The idea alone sent her over the edge and she screamed out her pleasure as her own orgasm slammed through her senses.

Hercule came a second later, roaring out his release as her body clenched down on him, tighter than he had ever remembered before. "Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods!" he cried, forcing his eyes open as he watched his balls tremble against Chichi, his cock throbbing as he came and came and came. He was ravenous, sucking at her neck as he rocked into her until his tremors stopped. "Oh gods Chichi, that was amazing." He moaned again as he carefully pulled her off of himself, letting her legs close again as he set her next to him on the bed. He rolled on his side, looking at her. She was beautiful, covered in sweat, glistening in the firelight. "Yes," he said, unashamed, "Lately, I've been thinking of you when I do. You make me so hard, drive me so crazy. I imagine you, giving into your desires. Touching yourself as you watch me touching myself. I get so hard thinking of you."

Even though she was still tingling from her orgasm, she found herself wanting him all over again. She wanted to see it, to watch him as he pleasured himself, to see how he did it. Her mouth watered and she bit her lip again as she reached for his wrist, guiding his hand back to his semi-hard cock. "Show me," she commanded gently, a blush touching her nose again. "I want to watch you. I want to see how you like it, how you make yourself come. I want to know how you like to be touched." She settled back on the bed, laying on her side as she propped her head up on one hand, trailing her fingers down between her breasts before her hand came to rest on her thigh, her body on display for him. "Please, Mark."

Hercule shuddered as pleasure surged through him at her request. He gave her a sultry look, licking his lips as his eyes traveled over her. She was everything he liked in a woman. Not just her curves, full breasts, but her mind as well. She was curious and hungry for more. "I'm going to spend the entire night with you, just making love to your body. Worshiping it," he promised. He rolled onto his side so he was facing her and he gripped his cock more firmly, giving it a squeeze before he let his hand drop and he fondled the soft skin beneath, rolling the orbs around in his hand. He didn't drop her gaze as he moaned in pleasure. He finally grasped his cock again, which was rapidly hardening once more as it filled with blood. He panted as he bucked into his hand, fucking himself with it. He paused, looking to his nightstand and he looked back at Chichi. She had said she wanted to see what he did, far be it for him to deny her.

With a groan he sat up, reaching across the bed to open the bottom drawer where he pulled out a few items. Some lube, a cock ring, and a little vibrating egg. He grinned at her and moved to lay on his back, turning his head as he looked at her. "This is what I do," he said as he slipped the cock ring over his length, wincing as he had to force it down, lamenting he didn't think of putting it on sooner. He gave a moan as it finally was settled around the base. He reached for the little egg next and the lube, making sure the little egg was slick before he reached between his legs, pushing the device inside of him.

He took the little device that was connected to the egg by a small wire and flipped the switch on. He immediately threw his head back, his hips raising up into the air as the egg started vibrating against his prostate. "Oh gods," he cried out, thrusting up into the air, his cock producing a dribble of cum down along the side. "Chichi, you see what you do to me?" He grasped his cock in his hand, stroking himself roughly. "I imagine you doing the same thing, stroking yourself, riding your own fingers as you pinch your nipples. That beautiful blush spreading across your cheeks, your breasts." He moaned out, opening his eyes to watch her watching him.

Chichi's eyes went wide as she watched; the items he used were unfamiliar to her. She could work out what they were, obviously, but the appeal of each, she didn't understand. Instead of being repulsed by the idea of sex toys like she used to think she would, she was fascinated. It didn't make sense to her how putting a foreign object into his backside could feel good, but then again, there were lots of men who apparently enjoyed that sort of thing, weren't there? And women, too? Perhaps there was more to this idea than she originally thought. Oh, she had so much to learn.

She could feel the hot blush on her face as she watched him buck his hips up as a stream of cum trailed down the side of his cock. It made her center contract, her essence slicking the insides of her thighs again, wanting nothing more than to sink herself down on that hard, thick cock. It looked amazing, flushed red, swollen. She tipped her head slightly as she looked at the silicone ring he'd slipped onto himself, the way it seemed to bite into his flesh. Carefully, she reached out and ran her fingertip along the edge of the ring, shivering at the burning heat she could feel. "What does this do?" she asked in a soft, curious voice. His hot cum trailed over her finger and she spread it around, frowning in concern at the way his cock seemed so hot, exceptionally so. She let her hand ghost over his length before she pulled back, remembering she wanted to see how he pleasured himself.

Hercule whined, hissed, thrusting up, trying to get her hand to touch him again. He thought he would go crazy if she impaled herself on his cock now. "It's a cock ring. It...oooh... It stops me from coming, reaching an orgasm," he answered breathlessly, moving his hand faster over his cock, thrusting up into it as his prostate was tortured mercilessly by the vibrator. "When I masturbate like this, when I think of you, I imagine that you are in control of my pleasure, after you had been controlled, I want you to have it. I imagine you, riding your fingers so hard, riding me until you orgasm and only after you've had your pleasure do you let me come and take off the ring. Would you do that? Make it a reality?"

Chichi nodded, his words inflaming her. Let her have control? She liked the idea of that a lot. Still laying on her side, she lifted her knee towards the ceiling, spreading herself open for him. She felt the blush on her cheeks again, but she didn't let it stop her. She teased her breast with one hand, pinching and rolling her nipple as she hissed with pleasure through her teeth. "I want to make that a reality for you. I want so bad to have you inside me right now," she purred as she trailed her hand down her stomach, between her legs, moaning lightly as she teased the tender nub of her clit again. "I want to feel you inside me, filling me." She teased the opening to her body, hesitating only a moment before she slipped two slender fingers into her wet core, moaning out as she did it.

Hercule couldn't stand it, he could feel his release, it was so close, but the ring prevented him from coming, making him swell with need. He couldn't believe his eyes as he watch Chichi slide two fingers into herself. Oh he wanted to lean down and drink from her, lick her fingers as they were buried to the hilt inside of her. "Gods, you look amazing like that. I tried to come already, but I couldn't. I want you so badly on my cock. I am going crazy, Chichi." He moved his hand over his cock, it was hot, red, throbbing with need. He cried out as he felt himself teetering on that edge, thrusting up into the air, trying to come but unable.

Chichi moaned as she watched him, the way he gripped himself, studying his movements. He looked incredible like that, so desperate for release, working his hand over his sensitive flesh. She plunged her fingers into herself, moaning a little louder as she threw her head back. It wasn't enough. Her fingers were nowhere as satisfying as his cock. Biting her lip, she slid a third finger into her body and a high-pitched gasp escaped her mouth. "Look at me," she commanded in a soft tone. "You see what you do to me? You make me so wet. I'm drenched for you." She eyed the little cord that protruded from his body and the controller attached to it. She reached over and picked it up, clicking it up a couple notches. "And what does this do for you?" she asked before her fingers found that sensitive spot within her and she cried out in pleasure as her essence spilled out over her fingers.

Hercule would have paled if he had the chance to as he saw her pick up the control to the vibrator. The reaction was instantaneous. His hips raised off the bed, his mouth opened in a silent scream until he found his voice and he cried out, wantonly thrusting into the air. Chichi's sweet aroma permeated the air, he could see the pleasure on her face and as the egg pressed deliciously up against his prostate, his cock throbbed, twitching as he desperately tried to come. "Please, Chichi!" he begged, "Please let me come, oh gods, that is so hot. Look at how deeply you are on your fingers. Gods. Oh god!" he shouted as he tried to come once again, but was denied. The intensity of this moment was better than he could have dreamed, but by the gods it was torturous.

Chichi took pity on him, her own need to be filled by him too strong for her to resist. She withdrew her fingers and got to her knees, pushing on his shoulder to lay back flat on his back. She licked her lips as she took his hand and pulled it away from his cock. She couldn't remember seeing it that hard and swollen before. The flesh was red and glistening in the firelight of the room. She wrapped her hand around the base of it to steady it beneath her as she finally sank down onto it, crying out in pleasure. He stretched her deliciously, her body so full of his cock it almost hurt. By the gods, it was hot inside her. "Oh gods, yes!" she cried out as she bounced on his cock, her breasts bouncing against her chest, and she reached out to pinch his nipples. "Is… is this what you wanted?" she panted.

Hercule writhed in pleasure, bucking up into her soft heat. She felt like an oasis on his throbbing cock. "Oh gods… yes," he choked out, reaching up and resting his hands on her hips. "Oh gods, I need to come, Chichi. Ride me, however you like, whatever gets you off baby." His mind was quickly turning into jelly as the prolonged pleasure drove him insane.

Chichi was shaking, her breath coming in short gasps as she rode his thick cock, her body clenching around him. He was so hot inside her, nearly burning her, making stars pop in her vision. She reached down to touch her clit, rubbing it furiously as she bounced harder on him, taking him to the hilt with every downward thrust. She threw her head back as pleasure exploded through her body, making her scream out. "Oh, gods, Mark!" Her essence poured out around his cock, drenching him beneath her, and still the orgasm continued, wave after wave until she was left breathless and weak. She leaned over him, gasping for a moment before she lifted herself off of him. She carefully reached down and removed the ring from his cock, stroking him gently a couple of times before she crawled back up his body and plunged herself onto his cock again. "Come for me," she commanded and began to ride him again.

Hercules orgasm was upon him not a second later. Her soft fingers stroking him, her hot body engulfing his length, he screamed his pleasure and reached up, pulling her down tightly on him as he came, and came and came, his cock pulsing deeply inside of her as he was finally able to release. He was sobbing, shaking by the time he finished, hugging Chichi tightly to him. "Oh gods," he whimpered, fumbling for the vibrator remote and switched it off. "Oh gods," he said again. He was delirious with pleasure, still singing through his veins. He could barely think, barely move he felt so drained. He smiled up at her, "Mmn, the things you do to me. Can you feel it?"

She nodded weakly and dropped her head to his chest, loving the feel of his hot cum pooling inside her. "That feels so amazing," she breathed and kissed at the hard muscles of his chest. She relaxed over him, letting him hold her. "You never told me about those things in your drawer before. That was amazing to watch. Did they really make you feel that good? Is… is there anything else to play with?" she asked curiously, wanting to ask if perhaps there was something for her, but too shy to actually voice the words.

He chuckled, "I might have a few things to spark your interest, but first I think a short nap and maybe some food before we go at it again?" He smiled at her, holding her close, rubbing his hand up and down the smooth skin of her back. "There is so much I want to show you, to share with you. And we have all night, love."

Chichi felt her heart flutter at his murmured word, love. "Food and a nap sound wonderful," she said and kissed hotly at his throat. She lifted herself off of him with a groan, letting his length slip from her body. "Oh!" she cried as his cum poured out of her, running down her thighs. "Oh gosh, you came a lot, baby," she giggled nervously. She moved to lay next to him, trailing her nails across his chest lovingly. "We're going to need these sheets changed before we take that nap." She didn't want to move away from him, but she forced herself to roll over and grab the phone beside the bed to call for housekeeping and to ask the kitchens to send up some food. She rolled back over, feeling lazy, and smiled at him. "I suppose we should put on some sort of clothes before they walk in on us," she joked. "Unless you WANT them to." She paused and gave him a suspicious look, "Which wouldn't surprise me at this point."

Hercule chuckled, tugging her close to him before he snuggled into her raven locks of hair for a moment. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time my staff walked in on me in a compromising situation. Ask Madeline about it sometime." He laughed and gave her butt a playful slap. "Alright, off with you. Get some clothes on, or just the robe hanging in the bathroom. I'll strip the bed and put on some new sheets. Then we can have a look in the closet and see what toys you want to play with. Most of the, ahem, feminine, stuff I have were gag gifts from Ryan."

Chichi hurried over to pull on the bathrobe just as she heard Hercule's staff approaching the room. She was curious to see what sort of gifts Ryan would've thought were funny. Then again, maybe she didn't want to know. She gave the staff an embarrassed but appreciative little smile as they changed out the bedsheets and brought plates of food and set them on the little table in his room. She didn't think she would ever get used to this, having people wait on her hand and foot. It felt awkward to her.

She sighed in relief when they left and went to the table, feeling ravenous. A tiny smirk touched her lips as Hercule sat down across from her, wrapped in his own bathrobe, and she stretched out her leg to run her foot teasingly up the inside of his leg. "So you really want to show me this stuff?" she asked. "I've never done anything like that before. The toys, I mean. I've never been to one of those stores."

Hercule moaned softly as he felt her teasing his leg with her foot. "You are insatiable today aren't you? Gods, what have I created!" he said in a fake distressed voice before giving her a wink and tucking into his plate of food, chewing thoughtfully for a moment. "Of course I want to show you. Why would I limit your sexual experience?" He smiled at her warmly, reaching out with his free hand to cover her own, stroking gently at the soft skin of her knuckles. "And I haven't been to a sex shoppe in a long time. Too much publicity. Online ordering is the way to go now. If you like some of these toys that I have, then we can go online later and see what else you might have an interest for."

"Oh!" Chichi said. "That sounds much better than going to one of those places." She'd imagined trying to sneak into one of those stores unnoticed and she didn't like the idea very much. She was still exhausted from the day, her nerves with going out to the cabin, their rounds of lovemaking. She leaned her head on her hand and gave him a sleepy smile as she ate her breakfast. "I don't know what you've turned me into. I'm not sure I approve," she teased. "Next thing you know, you'll be suggesting we make our own naughty movies or some other such thing to embarrass me. I know you do it on purpose."

Hercule chuckled. "If the blush on your cheeks wasn't so adorable, I might not try so hard. Though, I think you liked the mirror fairly well. Making a movie to watch later just saves us the effort of dragging the mirror out again," he said waggling his eyebrows at her. He could see the exhaustion on her face and he nearly pouted, but he was tired too. She had worn him out, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to later on after they woke up.

"Oh, you are so bad!" she cried and aimed a kick at his shin under the table, pursing her lips at him when all he did was laugh at her. She looked down at her plate, cutting a bite as she asked, "Isn't that how scandals start? Celebrities make movies like that or take pictures of themselves that aren't meant for the public and then somehow it ends up getting out? That would just be lovely," she said sarcastically. She looked up at him, narrowing her eyes. "Although, that seems like it would fit your fantasy of us being discovered." She snickered and shook her head at him. "I don't know what to do with you."

"Can you blame me for wanting the world to know what a wonderful woman I have found?" he asked, giving her his most charming smile. "Besides, that's only if we tell my publicist if we are making a naughty little film." He grinned, "Mmm, now there's a thought, a little film using all the new toys you've just picked out." He moaned softly at the thought of her writhing on his bed, various toys strewn about her.

Chichi slowly shook her head at him as she chewed the last bite of her food. "Incorrigible," she scolded. She stood and stretched, yawning deeply. "Oh, excuse me," she said, blinking tiredly at him. She stepped around to his side of the table and ran her fingers through his hair. "You ready for that nap? I have a feeling I'm going to need the energy to be able to keep up with you tonight."

Hercule leaned into her touch and nodded, wrapping his arms around her, pressing his face into her chest. "Sounds good, Little Lady. I'm glad you put up with me," he said as he stood up and picked her up into his arms. He walked over to the bed, laying her down on the fresh bedsheets before he turned down the lights in the room. He crawled into the other side of the bed and tugged her until she was pressed firmly against his side. Exhaustion tugged at him and he felt content.

Chichi yawned again, sleep pulling at her as she snuggled against Hercule's side. She rested her cheek against his chest, listening to the comforting sound of his heartbeat, his breathing. "I'm so lucky to have you," she said sleepily as she wrapped her arm around his waist. Another yawn escaped her and her eyes fell closed. "Don't let me sleep too long. And I'd better not wake up to a camera in the room." She managed one last little laugh before her exhaustion took over and she fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Gonna be a couple days before I update again. Hubby's birthday is today, so I'll be busy with that. Hopefully JC 87 and I will get some new stuff written this weekend and posted for you guys.


	21. Abstract

A smirk pulled at Chichi's lips as the announcer excitedly narrated Hercule's match. She gave her head a small shake as she dipped her brush in the paint again, more listening to his match on the TV than actually watching it. She didn't need to watch. She knew he was going to win. He hadn't been the reigning world champion for over two decades without being the best.

She sat back and looked over the canvas with a critical eye. A sigh escaped her lips. She was a bit bored with her paintings lately. They all just sort of seemed the same. Landscapes, pretty little country scenes with muted colors. Something her mother would've hung on the wall, now that she thought on it too much.

But she had little else to occupy her time. Hercule was often out of the house during the day, either fighting or making public appearances, and Madeline was busy overseeing the other staff. Chichi still trained with Ryan most mornings, but the rest of the day she had nothing better to do. Oh well. At least it was something.

She barely even noticed when Hercule was announced the winner of his match. She was proud of him, of course, but it was no surprise. That opponent stood no chance. At least his match was here in the city today. It wouldn't be long before he was home.

Chichi tilted her head as she looked at the painting. Maybe a lake would look nice… As if she didn't already have half a dozen of them with lakes already.

Hercule was happy to be back home. It seemed he was very busy the past couple of days, or was it weeks by now? Between helping Chichi reconcile with her past and the demands of his own profession, it hardly seemed like he had a moment to himself. Upon arriving back home that afternoon after his matches, he learned from Madeline that Chichi was up in the room that they had refitted into a little painting studio for her. Apparently she'd been painting for most of the day. He always liked to see what she had accomplished. He gave a knock on the door before he opened it and poked his head inside, smiling as he saw her moving the brush carefully over the canvas.

The painting was good, but it seemed a bit, he wasn't sure how to word it. It seemed a bit too dull. Maybe it was a reflection of her state of mind. "Hey there, Little Lady."

Chichi gave a little jump at his voice; she hadn't even heard him knock, she was so wrapped up in what she was doing. "Hi," she smiled over her shoulder as she set aside her paint. She looked down at her hands to make sure they were clean. They were always clean. She was rather proud of the fact that in all the paintings she'd done, she hadn't gotten a single drop on his floor. "I watched your match today," she said as she went to him and sweetly kissed his lips. "I knew you'd win."

He couldn't stop the smile that tugged at his lips and he pulled her closer to him, settling his arms around her as he looked down at her. "I always fight my best when I know a lovely lady is cheering me on," he said as he leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose before he pulled back. "Sorry I've been so busy the past few weeks. Seems like work never wants to stop. Someone always wants a piece of the action." He sighed but grinned the next moment, "How about we go do something fun? You look like you could use a break yourself."

Her smile widened. "Sounds good to me," she said. She clicked off the light in her little studio and walked out into the hallway with him, slipping her arm around his waist. It always felt so much better to her when he was at home. "What did you have in mind?" she asked. "We could soak in the hot tub if you're sore from your match. Though I have to say, it didn't seem like that guy gave you much trouble."

Hercule laughed and led her down the hallway as he tipped his head back in thought. "True, it was hardly a warmup." He grinned at her, "I could go for a real match with someone who really knows how to throw a punch and I know for a fact you could have danced circles around that guy. How about it? Want to put me in my place? Then we can soak in the hot tub together." He let his hand fall to her waist, as they walked together, his feet taking them in the direction of the gym.

"That sounds like a plan," she answered as they entered the gym. "I've been sitting most of the day, save for a quick training session with Ryan this morning. I need to move around a bit anyway." She was still in her clothes from training that morning and she pulled her hair up in a tight bun before she moved to stretch a bit, trying to work the stiffness out of her muscles. "You sure you aren't too worn out? I'd hate to embarrass you by beating the world champion," she teased.

The Champ dropped to a stretch, working the kinks out of his knees a moment before he moved to the middle of the room, grinning. "So confident you are. I like it when you're feisty," he teased back at her as he moved into a casual defensive stance, "Do go easy on the old man, sweetheart." He watched her, admiring her form as she did her own stretching. "Though I'd be happy to just watch you like this."

She was bent double as she stretched and she realized he was standing directly behind her. She jerked upright, her face blushing again. Even after all these months, he still managed to make her face burn. "You're horrible," she stated matter-of-factly as she walked out onto the mat. "Shame on you. You're going to pay for that one." She let out a long exhale as she stepped into her stance, her arms raised, her expression serious as she locked eyes with him, prepared for him to make the first move.

He couldn't help but laugh, a warm spreading through him. "Mm, I think I'd like that too much. Make it hurt a little if you do." He grinned before he switched his stance to the offensive and jumped closer to her, throwing a complex barrage of punches and kicks. It wasn't the fancy-for-show fighting that he would do to spice it up in the ring, to get a wow from the audience. This was just plain and simple fighting. It made his heart soar.

Chichi dodged and blocked his attacks, watching his every move carefully. Sparring with him still made her far more nervous than sparring with Ryan. She wished she could shake that, could separate Hercule completely from Maxwell in her mind. Yet somehow, the reservations were still there. She silently cursed her husband, that he still had so much influence over her. She countered his attack, throwing him a couple kicks and punches of her own, but then fell back to blocking his again.

Hercule grunted as she landed a few good kicks on him, making him fall to one knee, forcing himself to quickly jump up again as she aimed a few more for his head. He had almost forgotten how good she was at this and he reminded himself that she had once done this. Her training with Ryan was showing for sure. He went on the offensive once more, growling out as she easily danced away from his grasp as he kicked out, throwing a punch at her retreating form. "Bah! Hold still!" he laughed, his hand opening and grabbing for her.

Chichi laughed as she bounced on her toes. "Like I'm going to make it easy for you," she teased back. Her eyes went wide as she felt her hair fall loose from its bun and she stopped at the same time Hercule grabbed for her. Fear lanced through her chest as his hand tangled in her hair and she cried out, her knees buckling under her. It was as if Maxwell was right there; she could see him as she squeezed her eyes shut, dragging her through the house, spitting insults at her as she clawed and kicked out helplessly. "STOP!" she begged.

Hercule's eyes went wide at the sudden change in Chichi's demeanor. His hand and fingers tangled in her hair and he immediately let go, pulling back from her and standing up straight as she sank to the floor. He remembered back when she had gotten her hair stuck in a tree branch and she had a melt down. He could have slapped himself for that one, he knew better than to do that, though it made him angry. It was yet one more thing that Maxwell still had over her. That fear controlling her every step of the way. "I'm so sorry, Little Lady. I didn't mean to grab you like that," he said kneeling down where he stood, giving her some space.

Chichi trembled all over and shook her head without looking at him. "Not your fault," she gasped, trying to control her breathing. She hated herself for still letting Maxwell control her. "I know you wouldn't…" she trailed off and shook her head again, swallowing harshly. She rubbed at her face and drew a deep breath to calm herself before she looked at him again. "It's okay," she said, though it felt like she was reassuring herself more than him. "I'm okay."

Hercule moved until he was sitting on the floor of the gym, breathing out evenly until the adrenaline running through him lessened. He sighed and leaned back on his hands as he watched her a moment more. "It doesn't seem okay to me," he said carefully as he leaned forward. He knew it was a problem. He had even touched her hair one time during sex and it hadn't ended well. He was sick of Maxwell and how he still loomed over their heads. "You need to work through this, break this chain he has on you. Take back what he's taken from you."

"How?" she whispered, her heart still racing. She wanted it to stop. She hated the way it made her break out in a sweat, the way her knees and hands shook, her stomach coiled into knots. It was just so ingrained into her that she didn't know if she'd ever be over it. "I can't stand this," she admitted in a tiny voice, barely above a whisper. "But I can't help it. I can't make it stop. I can't make this feeling go away."

"Repetition," he said as he thought about it. "We just have to retrain you into thinking that having your hair pulled isn't a bad thing, that Maxwell isn't the one standing over you." He reached out, watching her carefully as he placed his hand on her head, loving the feeling of her silken locks on his calloused hand. "Shhh, it's alright," he said softly as he let his fingers curl into the strands, tugging carefully, "Talk to me, Little Lady. What do you see, feel when I do this?"

A panicked whimper escaped her throat and she jumped as he held onto her hair. "I see him," she answered, her words rushed as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to tremble. "I hear his voice. Dragging me down the hallway, smashing my face against a doorframe. My stomach hurts. I can't breathe. I can't breathe." She tried to swallow the scream in her throat as she pulled back from Hercule. Tears burned her eyes as a sharp pain tugged at her scalp. Her hand went to his, trying to pry it from her hair. "I can't do this!"

He held on firmly, but not too tightly. "Yes you can, Little Lady," he said calmly as he reached up to the hand trying to claw at his own that was in her hair. He brought it to his own head, letting her fingers curl there instead. He wanted to throttle Maxwell and smash his face into a wall for everything that he had done to this woman. A bit of hot anger lanced through him at the thought of Goku and the others, her own sons letting this happen to her. Curse be damned. He shifted his fingers in her hair, moving down a little and grabbing more. He also let his thumb and forefinger rest at the base of her skull, moving in soothing circles. "I'm right here. Breathe."

Conflicted emotions swirled through her. Panic from her hair being pulled, yet the urge to lean into his touch as he massaged her head. She kept her eyes closed as they continued to burn. She was afraid of tears falling if she opened them. "I hate this," she choked out. "I hate him." In her mind, Maxwell dragged her into the bedroom and forced her to her knees, his free hand working his belt loose as he snarled the most disgusting words at her. She gagged and clapped a hand to her mouth, her legs moving as if she wanted to kick out at Hercule or writhe away from him. She tangled her fingers into his hair, resisting the urge to yank the curls. "I don't like this!" she whimpered.

He moved his head back, smiling softly as he felt her grip his hair tightly. "Fight back," he urged her, "Go on. You can do it." He massaged her head, moving so he was facing her more head on and reached up with his other hand to tangle it into her hair as well. He gave a little tug, watching her reaction. "What did you want to do to him, when he grabbed you like this?" he asked her as he tipped her head back, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her throat before he pulled back and watched her again.

"Bite him," she answered a little too quickly. She'd thought about that a million times. But she knew better. He'd have knocked her teeth out without a second thought if she'd done that to him. She tried not to gag again as the vision in her mind progressed and she finally had to force her eyes open before she relived it all again. But even as she saw Hercule before her, the memory still stuck out in her mind. Her neck felt warm where he'd kissed her, stirring up even more conflict in her chest. It was too much. She didn't feel ready for this. "Let go," she growled through her teeth as she pulled back at his hair, her other hand on his chest, pushing him away from her.

"No," he said, his fingers still going in circles at the base of her neck. "You have to make me. Where would you bite him?" he asked, moving to kiss her cheek, nuzzling into it affectionately. "His face? His neck? If he forced himself on you, did you want to bite off his dick?" He was crude, he knew, but she needed the push. She needed to face this. He gave another small tug to her hair.

Chichi lashed out without thinking and slapped Hercule across the face. Her eyes went wide a second later and she let go of his hair, fresh tears springing to her eyes. "Oh god, I'm so sorry," she breathed, horrified at her own actions. She'd had enough of this. She couldn't handle it. "Let me go. Let me go!" she cried, wanting to put as much space between them as possible. She felt the panic start to take over and she twisted in his grasp, clawing at his hands, his forearms as she tried to get away. "Hercule, I said let me go!"

"He's not going to let you go so easily, Chichi. You have to face this now. Should the worst ever happen and he somehow gets you in his hands again, what will you do then? You will be so scared that you can't even move. You won't lash out at him because you will be afraid of what he is going to do to you." His cheek stung where she slapped him, but he deserved it. It kept him focused. "You'll have to bite me to get me to let go. Or try harder," he said, every word killing him.

Anger flared in her at his words. He really wasn't going to let her go. "I'd bite you, but your dick is still in your pants," she spat as she pulled her knee up and kicked at his chest, throwing herself backwards. She felt her hair rip from her scalp as she fell back, but she didn't care. It barely even hurt, she was so angry and frightened. She leaned back on her elbows, breathing heavily as she stared at him for a moment before she shook her head and got to her feet. She didn't know whether to apologize or to shout at him. Instead, she turned on her heel and marched from the room.

Hercule winced as he watched her go, looking down at his hands and seeing the strands of dark hair entwined in them. It was a shame, she had the best hair. He shook the strands away and stood up, rubbing at his own head. "Madeline is going to kill me for this one."

He cursed under his breath and went for the cooler of ice water to pour himself a big glass before he sank back down against the wall. He wasn't sure what he had wanted to happen. He wanted to help her get over that fear of her hair being pulled, but grabbing her hair and then trying to get her to work through it was obviously not the answer. He should have let her go when she asked him. It made him sick to think he had just done that. Everything he said he wouldn't be, he wouldn't do, he just did.

* * *

Chichi saw only red as she stormed through the house, not even aware of where her feet were carrying her. How could he do that to her? He knew how much it terrified her. She'd tried so hard to not hold him responsible for the things Maxwell had done to her. Now it was as if she couldn't separate one from the other. She knew he was trying to help, deep down in her heart she knew that, but she couldn't wrap her mind around what he'd just done. She never wanted to feel that way towards Hercule again.

She threw open the door to her studio and turned to slam the door shut with all her strength. "Asshole!" she screamed at the closed door. Angry, frightened tears slipped from her eyes as she began to pace the floor, running her hands through her hair, trying to erase the feeling of his hand there. She gave a choked cry as her hand came away with more strands of hair in her fingers. She brushed them away quickly and let them fall to the floor.

Her eyes went to the nearly finished landscape still sitting on her easel. A scowl crossed her face. It was ugly. Boring. And suddenly she found that she hated it.

She grabbed up a tube of red paint and popped the top off, letting it clatter to the hardwood floor. She screamed through clenched teeth as she squeezed the tube and swiped at the canvas. The red paint splattered across the mountains and the lake. Oh, there was something liberating about that. She did it again and again, her mind working at a furious pace.

"Fucking asshole," she growled. "How dare he?! He knows how that makes me feel! I can't handle that!" She went to the canvas and smeared the paint across it with her hand in a vicious swipe. "I hate Maxwell! Why can't he just leave me alone? GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" She brushed her hair out of her face, the red paint smearing across her forehead and her long strands of raven hair. "Stupid men," she continued on to herself as she angrily slapped the canvas.

She was sick of feeling so helpless. So sick of being at the mercy of men. She was stronger than that, wasn't she? Where was that part of her that used to be fearless, the brave fighter she used to be? It was as if she'd lost her. She didn't want the anger, the hatred of who she used to be. But she wanted her confidence back.

"Goddammit!" she shouted as the paint tube emptied and she threw it against the wall, the paint leaving a spray over the pristine white. "Oh to hell with it," she hissed and grabbed up a tube of black. "I am done with being controlled! I am SICK of hurting! I'm tired of being afraid!" The black paint sloshed over the red, the previous landscape gone now.

She worked herself into a frenzy, barely noticing the painting as she just vented her feelings on it. She cursed everything and everyone around her. Her ex-husbands, Hercule, Arthusia, herself. She let the swear words fly, words she rarely ever used, but they just seemed to release her frustration in a way other words wouldn't. "Fuck, shit, fuck this fucking shit!" she rambled.

She rubbed at the back of her neck, the sweat there. The room suddenly felt stifling. Her shoe slipped in the paint on the floor as she went to the window and threw it open, letting the cool early spring breeze flood the room. Oh, that was better. She leaned heavily against the open window, drinking in the fresh air as it washed over her heated skin. Her fingers swiped over her face, the wetness there. Was that tears or sweat? She wasn't sure.

The room was full of those boring landscapes she'd painted. They sat on the floor, leaning against the walls. Her eyes twitched as she looked at them. There was something about them that just didn't set well with her. Perhaps it was their mainstream nature, something anyone would expect to see hanging in someone's house. There was nothing special about them. They were empty, no more special than the canvases had been before she painted them.

She grabbed up another and smacked the black and red painting from the easel, letting it topple face-up to the floor. She cringed internally when she realized this one looked nearly the exact same as the mountains and lake she'd just covered before. Good gods, she was a creature of habit. Was she really so one-dimensional? What was so wrong with going against the norm? Why did everything have to be so stiff, so formal, so perfect all the time? Had these months with Hercule taught her nothing?

She went to some larger cans of paint she'd set aside and quickly pried the tops off. Without hesitation, she plunged her hands into them and turned to the canvas, the paint dripping from her fingers. She stared at the canvas for only a moment before she threw her hand forward. "HA!" she cried. Her hand never touched the canvas as she moved through the martial arts movements, flinging the paint at it, pausing every now and then to dunk her hands again.

* * *

Hercule had finally gotten up his courage to go to Chichi and try to fix what he had done. There were other ways to get her over her fear of Maxwell and he had picked the worst route to go. He had thought to go to her room, but he heard cries coming from the room they had made into her studio. It sounded like she was fighting with someone and his eyes widened, wondering if somehow Maxwell had gotten inside. He broke out into a run and flung the door open, "Chichi!" he shouted in worry and stopped dead at the scene that greeted him.

There was paint EVERYWHERE. The walls, the ceiling, the floor. He almost missed Chichi entirely as she was covered in paint almost as much as the canvases around her. Gone were the landscapes that lacked personality and in their places stood statements, emotionally covered canvases without any care for color or precision. It was rather breathtaking. His eyes widened and he stepped into the room, letting the door close behind him as he looked around. His gaze finally landed on Chichi and his heart beat a little faster. She was streaked in every color, a brilliant red in her hair that made her seem so much more dangerous. He wanted to kick himself. Now was not the time to be turned on.

He could see a fire in her eyes when she turned towards him and he held up his hands. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I did that. I'm nothing but a big, dumb asshole who did something unforgivable." His worries only increased as he saw her pick up an entire bucket of paint and advance towards him. "Ah, shit."

"Sorry?" she asked dangerously. "I told you to let go. I told you to LET GO!" She flung the paint at him, watching in satisfaction as it splashed across his chest, his pants, his face, some even in his hair. Her shoulders shook and she threw the bucket of paint on the floor with a resounding clunk. "What the hell is the matter with you?!" she demanded. "Don't you know how hard I struggle to separate you from him in my mind? And then you pull some shit like that? Acting like him?! Goddammit, Mark!"

"Yes, I screwed up! I was trying to give you a chance to face your demon! To fight back with no repercussions! No, it was a stupid idea, I know. For a moment, I became my father and that is the last thing I ever wanted. I just wanted to help you. I…" He stopped and wiped the blue paint from his face. He could feel it seeping into his clothes. "Chichi, you know I would never hurt you unless you asked me to, and even then it would be with reservations! I was an ass for doing it the way I did. I'm just so tired of seeing you hurting. Seeing you doubt yourself or look over your shoulder in fear. I want to help you."

"I know you're trying to help! But making me afraid of you isn't going to help anything!" she shot back. She stared at him for a long moment. "I don't ever want to see that side of you. I don't want to think of you like that. That isn't who you are! That's not the man I fell in love with!" She gasped the second the words left her lips and clapped a sticky, paint-covered hand to her mouth. What a way to confess her feelings for him.

He blinked at her a moment, his heart pounding at the words that she shouted at him. It seemed as if the whole world grew silent and he wasn't sure what he was feeling. A giddy feeling bubbled up inside of him and he felt a smile tugging at the corner of his lips and he relaxed his posture, walking towards her. She was a vision. Surrounded by open cans of paint, covered in it. She was a work of art herself and it was stunning. He stopped in front of her, looking down at her. "You love me?" he asked, unable to wipe the smile from his lips.

"Yes," she answered breathlessly as she looked up at him. There was no point in denying it. She loved this man in a way she'd never loved anyone before. She felt her knees shake again, but this time it was for a completely different reason. She swallowed nervously as she stared into his eyes, those warm blue eyes that she loved so much. "Didn't you know that?" she asked softly.

"You did just throw a bucket of paint on me," he teased her. "But I deserved it. You still love me even after I hurt you in an unforgivable way? Are you sure?" He reached out and cupped her face carefully, searching her eyes for sincerity.

She gently leaned her face into his touch and nodded. "Yes." She curled her hand around his, her heart racing. "When you grabbed my hair and you were kissing me, being gentle, it was like… like I thought maybe I could replace the old fears with something new. But then when you acted like him, it frightened me. I know that's not you. You aren't like him. I know you didn't mean it." She let her eyes close for a moment and she swallowed again before she looked at him. "I love you."

He smiled wider at the admission again and he leaned down, picking her up and spinning her around. He sat her down a moment later, reaching up with his hand to cup her face, the blue paint on his hands smudging her cheek. He chuckled, "Oops." He leaned in and kissed her. "I don't deserve such a wonderful woman like you. Not after what I did," he said as he brushed his thumb over her lips, unable to stop his laugh at the blue that painted them.

Chichi shivered at his touch. "No. You deserve a woman who's sane, who can control her emotions and her fears," she answered. She bit the inside of her lip. "You deserve someone better than me. I'm sorry for the way I reacted." She stepped even closer to him, her free hand twisting into his. "I don't want to be like this anymore."

"If you didn't react, I'd be more worried," he said as he leaned over, dipping his hand into the nearest paint can, it was yellow. "You are so perfect. Flaws and all. I would be honored to have you at my side. For you to be the first person I see when I wake up and the last one I see when I go to sleep at night. Despite how this might sound, I love you too, Little Lady. If you can forgive me for my blunder earlier. And for this," he said as he dragged his hand over her face and ruffled her hair with the yellow, grinning widely at her.

Chichi gasped as her eyes went wide. One second her heart was fluttering in her chest at his admission, and the next he just had to pull that. "And now you ruined the moment," she scolded, although her tone betrayed the words. She tried not to smile, but couldn't stop it. She jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck, smothering his mouth with her own, her face pressing against his. She pulled back to rest her forehead against his, smirking at the yellow paint mixed with blue on his face now. "Shame on you."

He grinned and wrapped his arms securely around her. "I'm a bad, bad man. You really should punish me." He looked all around them. "But first. I think we both are entirely too CLEAN for this room." He set her down and picked up the first can of paint he could reach and threw it on the floor before he gestured to her to pick up another one. "Come on, this is good for the both of us. I just hope this isn't lead based paint."

She laughed at him and kicked another can of paint over, smiling at the way the two colors marbled on the floor. Her clothes felt sticky and strangely stiff. "I think these clothes are ruined," she said, feeling bold as she pulled her top off and cast it aside. "It's a shame. That shirt looked good on you. But it's no good anymore. I think you should lose it."

Hercule smirked at her and faced her as he stripped off his shirt. "I think these pants are ruined too," he said and kicked those off as well, exposing himself completely to her. He looked at her, his body responding as he let his eyes trace over her creamy white flesh. Her round breasts seemed entirely too clean for his taste at the moment and he went to her supplies, picking up a tube of red paint. "This really is more your color, Little Lady," he said as he walked over to her, coating his fingers with the contents of the tube before he traced intricate little patterns over her nipples and breasts with his fingers.

Chichi shivered as the cool paint traced over her skin, her sensitive flesh. Her mouth went dry at the sight of his firming length and she shimmied out of her pants, kicking them aside. She trailed her hand up his bicep to his neck, leaving a swath of paint over his tanned skin. "Mark," she breathed and leaned up to kiss him again. "Take me. Right here, on the floor."

He groaned at the request and picked her up, wrapping her around him as he settled them on the floor into the spilled paint. He didn't want to press any into her, so before his cock could be dipped into the paint, he pressed deeply into her body, groaning loudly as he rolled them over. He shivered as his back was now in the cool paint and watched with keen eyes as the colors dripped over Chichi's shoulders and down her front. "Gods you are so hot like this," he breathed and bounced her on his cock once, twice. He reached out, dipping both of his hands into the paint before he reached up to grab her hips, watching as he traced the colors over her. He painted a heart around her belly button.

Chichi gasped out in pleasure before she giggled at the sweet gesture. "Oh gods," she breathed as he filled her body perfectly, his hot, thick length stretching her. She scratched her nails over his chest, catching on his nipples, leaving lines of multicolored paint there. She ground herself down on him, riding him slowly for a moment as she debated. She knew she was asking for trouble, but it had almost worked earlier when he'd kissed her in the gym. She leaned over him, squeezing her walls around him as she breathed in his ear, "Pull my hair."

Hercule gave a strangled cry as she clenched down on him, but he froze the next moment at her request, his eyes going wide. "Chichi. Are you sure? I don't…" He shook his head, "I don't want to hurt you any more than I have today. You deserve better." His head snapped back as she gave a rock of her hips on him and he reached up, cupping her breasts, smearing more paint over them.

Chichi moaned at the feel of his strong hands on her breasts. "I want to try," she whined as she bounced on him. "I want to get over it. Replace bad memories with good ones…" She paused and moaned as the head of his cock hit her cervix, making her see stars. "Just promise to stop if I tell you to stop. Please, Mark?"

He nodded. "I promise," he swore and sealed it with a kiss, tasting the paint on their lips. He reached up as he pulled her down to him, tangling his fingers into her paint drenched hair, holding her to him as he plundered her mouth with his tongue, moaning into her as he drank deeply. "Gods I want you," he breathed against her before he gave another sharp tug.

She struggled to control her breathing as fear rose up in her chest again. She locked eyes with him. He was NOT Maxwell. Hercule wouldn't hurt her. She told herself that over and over again as she continued to ride him, drinking in the pleasant sensation of their bodies meeting. His hand in her hair made her heart race even more, which seemed to heighten everything around her. She felt her shoulders shake, but she didn't pull away, didn't cry out, didn't tell him to stop. "I trust you," she breathed.

"I won't hurt you. Ever. Little Lady. Chichi. You can trust me. Tell me to stop, and I will stop. No questions asked," he said as he thrust up against her. "I don't ever want to betray your trust. I am so stupid to have thought like that. I just wanted to help you. That's all. To show you that you could be strong, in control and still be the selfless woman that you truly are."

A rush of affection for him warmed her and she leaned down to kiss him again. Yet his hand seemed to almost restrict the movement, a sharp pain pulled at her scalp, and she felt that fear once again. Surely he would keep his word, right? If she told him to stop, he would stop? The angry way he spoke to her before flashed through her mind and made her shudder violently. She had to know, had to make him prove that he meant what he said. "Stop," she said, her voice calmer than she expected. "Let go of me."

So soon she was testing his word and he wanted to make good on it, to make up for his mistake earlier. He quickly let go of her, dropping his hands down to the floor into the paint with a little splash. It would kill him if they stopped now, he wanted her so badly, but if this was the price he had to pay, he would do so gladly. He watched her carefully, not moving a muscle as she worked through everything. "I've got you, Little Lady. It's okay," he said softly.

Chichi bowed her head, breathing steadily through her nose for a moment as she calmed her nerves. She gave a tiny nod of her head before she finally looked at him and managed a smile. "Thank you," she said quietly and laid over his chest to kiss his lips again. A soft moan escaped her as she pressed her hips against his again, feeling his length shift inside her. She nibbled on his ear and breathed hotly into it, "Do it again."

He swallowed thickly, a deep moan escaping his lips as he thrust up against her. He lifted his hand and allowed it to tangle into her hair messily. He gave a slight tug before he pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. He turned her head to the side and buried his face into her neck, sucking a hickey to life.

Chichi cried out at the feel of his hot mouth on her skin. "Oh gods," she whimpered. She could feel that aching heat building within her as she plunged herself down on his cock, pushing her closer and closer to that edge. Her eyes rolled in her head, her heart raced. She was so close. She gasped out, turning her face to look at him again. "Pull harder," she said, digging her nails into his shoulders as her toes curled. "Pull harder."

Hercule grit his teeth, his cock pulsing, throbbing inside of her. Her words only made him harder and teeter on the edge of that blissful release. He shifted then, sitting up and pulled her more firmly in his lap. He tugged her hair, sharply pulling her head back so her throat was exposed to him and he devoured the skin presented to him, moaning hotly against her as he sharply tugged her hair. "Gods, I'm going to come, Chichi. You make me so hot I can't stand it."

Everything was a whirlwind of emotion and sensations in that moment and Chichi felt as though she couldn't grab on to one certain thing. She felt fear and excitement at the same time, love and anger, all of it mixing strangely together as her head was forced back and she stared at the few paint splatters on the ceiling. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly as she bucked helplessly in his lap. Stars burst in her vision as she came, her body clenching around his thick length until she hurt in the most delicious sort of way. "Oh gods, yes!" she gasped out. "Come for me, Mark. Come for me!"

Hercule came with a cry, his hips snapping upwards as he did. She was so tight on him and it was utter perfection as he pressed her close to him, his grip on her hair failing and he just rested his arms around her waist. He kissed at the skin of her collarbone beneath his lips, sighing out as he rode out the waves of orgasm. "Oh gods, Chichi. That was good. Are you alright?"

She leaned her forehead against his shoulder for a moment as she trembled in his embrace. "I think so," she whispered. She hugged him tightly as she tried to process everything in that moment. What an incredibly emotional day. It was hard to make sense of. She finally pulled back to look at him and managed a small smile. "Thank you," she said softly. "You're so patient with me. I don't deserve someone as wonderful as you." She knew she wasn't over her fear of having her hair pulled, but she felt as though she'd taken a big step forward towards conquering that fear.

He snorted against her, looking up at her. "I don't think I deserve your thanks. Not for what I did to you earlier, but you have my word it will never happen again. I was too lucky for you to give me a second chance." He smiled at her. "Thank you for that, Chichi," he said as he regarded her a moment more. With the heat of the moment over, the chill of sitting in wet paint made him shiver and he looked around at the mess they had made. "Now this? This is art." He smiled at the explosion of color on all of the canvases and the room itself. "This is good. I've been wanting to repaint this room."

She giggled. "Good! Cause it's a little late if you didn't," she answered. She smiled at him, the paint on his face, in his hair, and she hugged him tightly again. She peered over his shoulder at the room. She couldn't recall ever making such a huge mess in all her life. And she found that she loved it. It was beautiful. "You're amazing. I love you, Mark."

He chuckled and kissed her. "And I love you, Little Lady. Now. I think we need to have a few showers. I have paint in places that should never, ever have paint," he said as he lifted her off of his length, moaning softly as he slipped out of her. He carefully pushed himself up, his feet slipping only once or twice as he did, grinning at her as he looked around, nodding at the work. "We should see about putting this up in a gallery. Ode to a Woman Scorned."

Chichi gave his arm a playful slap. "You're so silly," she scolded as she made her way over to the door. "No one would want to see that." She frowned as she opened the door and peeked down the hallway. "The coast is clear, but oh! Madeline's going to kill us if we track paint all over the floor!"

He peeked out over her shoulder, looking at the deserted hallway. "Nah, we'll just tell her we're redecorating." He grinned at her and slipped his hand into hers, letting his fingers curl around her own before he tugged her out into the hallway. "Come on! Before someone sees us!" He laughed as they bolted for his room. He was sure no one wanted to see a naked, painted Champ and his lady love darting through the mansion.

Chichi squealed as he pulled her down the hallway and up a set of stairs to his room. "Hercule!" she scolded as he slammed the door behind them. "We could've just went across the hall to my room!" She couldn't stop the giggles as she looked him over. "You're a mess," she said, her eyes trailing over the paint that covered his skin.

"Pfft, where would have been the fun in that?" He grinned at her and turned her towards the mirror in the room. "And I'm not the only one who is looking good right now." He laughed at her expression in the mirror. "We'd better shower together, make sure we both get all the paint off of us. I imagine it's going to take a few tries."

It took Chichi a moment to pull her eyes away from the reflection in the mirror. The swirls of color over her skin were mesmerizing. She finally smiled at him and nodded. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

**Author's Note: **And now I suddenly want to have sex in paint. *sigh*


	22. A New Approach

"It's still a shitty idea," Hercule muttered from where he leaned against the bedroom wall, watching Chichi getting ready. He pinched the bridge of his nose, absentmindedly running his thumb over the part that had been broken once. "I should still come with you. I'll even be good and wait in the car while Madeline and Ryan go in with you as planned. He's been too cooperative for my taste. Going from stone cold to this?" He shook his head. "I'd feel better if I could keep an eye on that slimy creep."

Chichi smoothed down the jacket of the nice dress suit Madeline had picked out for her and turned to him. "Well, it's our lawyers that have been cooperative. I'm not so sure Maxwell himself is being that way," she said. Although she had to admit, her husband's recent silence was unnerving. They hadn't heard or seen anything out of him in quite some time, not since the incident at Goten's restaurant. She knew better than to think that he had given up. "I know. I would feel better if you were there too, but Madeline seemed to think it was a bad idea. Not too many people will recognize her or Ryan. But if someone saw me getting out of the car with you, it could cause problems." She sighed and fidgeted with the hem of her jacket. "I really don't want to do this. I don't want to see him."

Hercule pushed away from the wall and went to her, taking her hands in his own, bringing them up to his lips to gently kiss them before he looked into her eyes. "I know you don't, Little Lady. Just get those papers signed, decide what stuff of yours you want to get back and come home. Then we can finally put this mess behind us. I'll make sure to have the cooks make something special for you to come back to. I'm thinking something along the lines of comfort food. Chocolate. Definitely chocolate."

Chichi gave a tiny laugh. "Chocolate is always good," she agreed. She ran her thumb over his knuckles affectionately, wishing desperately that she didn't have to leave his side. Disgust seemed to crawl over her skin at the thought of being so close to Maxwell. Bile rose in her throat and she had to swallow it back down. "Hopefully this won't take long. And don't worry. Ryan and Madeline will be with me. I'll be safe."

He smiled at her and raised his hand to cup her cheek. "You will," he said firmly as he gently offered his arm and escorted her out of his room and down to the front door. He gave a smile to Madeline and Ryan and let his arm drop and he tilted his head at his girls. "Now you all try to stay out of trouble. Give him hell if he tries anything." He couldn't let it show just how worried he was about this.

"You know we will," Ryan grinned at her teacher. "That fucking piss-bag won't know what hit him if he so much as looks at her the wrong way." She linked arms with Madeline and offered her other arm to Chichi. She beamed when Chichi sighed but took hold of her elbow. "Ha! Now I'm the one walking around with sexy bitches hanging on my arms," she teased.

Hercule rolled his eyes. "Always so eloquent, Ryan. Enjoy it while you can," he said as he waved them off.

Madeline only laughed, securing her hand on Ryan's elbow and she gave a smile to Chichi. "Don't you worry. He is most likely going to be something nasty. Angry… although, I can't imagine he would do anything that would hurt his image to our lawyers. He might even look like a model citizen." Her expression grew dark, remembering the funeral they had for Phil. "I'm not forgiving him."

Chichi shook her head in agreement. "I will never forgive him either," she answered as they walked out to the car and slid into the backseat. She drew a long breath and exhaled shakily. "Oh, I don't want to do this. I don't want to do this," she moaned as the car moved forward and her knees shook.

"Breathe, Chichi," Ryan said. "Remember all those hours bustin' your ass in training. Even in those high-heels, you could kick his ass now if you had to." She paused as she thought about it. "Matter of fact, might help that you're wearing those. Just shove it straight up his ass. Sideways. Little shitbag wouldn't be able to walk right for a month."

Madeline sighed and leaned back in the car, giving Ryan a look. "Shush." But she couldn't keep the slight smirk off of her face. "I seriously doubt he will make a scene and we are not going to give him any fuel to start one or make Chichi look bad. I don't know how he managed to evade the drug charges once we proved your innocence on the matter. Probably pointed at some innocent bystander."

"Most of the police force is on his payroll," Chichi reminded them. "Once they couldn't pin it on me, they probably dropped the charges." She squirmed nervously in her seat, adjusting her skirt, smoothing her hair to make sure it was still in place. She could see the building up ahead where the meeting was to take place. "I still don't understand why we have to meet in person. This negotiation is easy enough. All I want are a few personal belongings. I don't want his money or the house. These things are always so awkward." She frowned at her lap as she remembered the divorce process with Goku. That had been awkward, too, but not nearly as frightening.

Her heart nearly leapt into her throat when they pulled to a stop. "The lawyer Hercule hired is already here, right?" she asked Madeline, the fear evident in her face and her voice. "I really don't want to walk into that room unless I know the lawyer's there for sure."

"Ah, yeah, he should be there," Ryan said casually as she leaned across Chichi to open the car door. She gave her a little shove before she grabbed Madeline's hand and pulled her out of the car. "C'mon. I wanna see if I can position myself just right to 'accidentally' trip Mr. bitch-balls as he walks into the meeting room," she said with a snicker.

"Ryan," Madeline said warningly, but chuckled as she knew her love was joking. At least, on some level. Okay, on second thought, she might not be joking at all. She held the door open for them both before she walked in behind Chichi. Ryan and herself both took up a position on either side of her and her own eyes were scanning the lobby before she led them over to the room numbered what Maxwell's lawyers had told them. "Come on, let's sit so we are facing the door. I don't want this guy to come up behind me." She muttered and nodded at Hercule's lawyer who had obviously had the same idea. "Simon. It's been a while."

He stood up and reached out his hand, greeting each woman in turn, "Madeline. It has been too long." He looked at Ryan skeptically. "It hasn't been long enough," he muttered before giving her a wink. "Let's hope this business is concluded quickly today."

Ryan crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "It wasn't my fault. That dick walked right into the beer bottle I was holding. Five times," she said defiantly, recalling her last encounter with Hercule's lawyer.

"I do wonder if repeating that to yourself has ever made it true?" he said with a slight smirk. "And the pool table? I suppose that just flipped on its own accord?"

"The leg was wobbly."

Chichi had stopped listening to them. Her breath caught in her throat and she grabbed Madeline's arm, perhaps a little too harshly, as Maxwell and his lawyer strode into the lobby. He hadn't looked at her yet. "Oh gods," she whispered. She tipped her head curiously as he conversed with his lawyer. He didn't look angry. That was strange. She could barely remember a time when he didn't look like he wanted to hit something. It somehow just made her even more nervous.

Maxwell's lawyer seemed to recognize Simon and he gave a nod of his head in greeting. "Shall we?" he asked and opened the door to the room, allowing Maxwell to enter first.

Chichi followed Simon into the room and sat down on the opposite side of the long table from Maxwell. She didn't look at him. Her stomach coiled painfully and she placed her hands in her lap to hide the way they shook. She was prepared to fight back if he made any stupid moves and she mentally went through the attack combinations in her head that Ryan and Hercule had taught her.

Madeline gave Chichi's hand a tight squeeze and didn't let go of her hand under the table. She looked to Simon who opened up his briefcase and pulled several pages of documents out and placed them on the table, sliding them over to the other side. But as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, Maxwell did it first.

"Chichi, I simply cannot do this any more."

She looked up at him then, her eyes wide with surprise. There was a gentleness in his voice that she'd never heard before. Her heart thudded in her chest and she squeezed Madeline's hand reassuringly. A bit of hope flared in her chest. Did he possibly mean that he would finally let her go? "What are you talking about, Maxwell?" she asked, fighting to keep her voice even.

He looked at her, his eyes flickering towards Madeline and Ryan who watched him like a pair of hawks. He swallowed and folded his hands in front of him on the table, looking at the papers that his lawyer drew nearer to him. He gazed back towards Chichi. "I've done some terrible things to you and I cannot even begin to stress how sorry I am. The house has been cold since you left and I have found a piece of me has been missing. I've only been lashing out like I have because I've been a fool. Trying to get you back to me in the only ways I knew how. Gods, Chichi. I still love you. Please. Won't you give us another chance?"

Chichi was absolutely floored. Never before could she ever remember hearing this man say he was sorry. Of all the things she expected to hear that day, this was not it. "Maxwell," she said, finally finding her voice. "I don't know what to say. I…" she paused and swallowed. What did she say to that? "I hope you mean that. That you're sorry. But I can't. I can't go back to that house. Too much has happened."

Ryan felt herself bristle at Maxwell. What was he playing at? This was a new tactic. And she had to give the man credit; he was a damn good actor. Even his body language seemed to convey that he meant what he said. Some part of her hoped he did, that he hurt because Chichi was gone. He deserved so much worse.

Simon raised an eyebrow at Maxwell, giving a sidelong glance to Chichi and shook his head. "My client is only interested in finalizing these divorce papers and claiming a few items that she had no choice but to leave behind in the house," he said coolly, "Now is not the time nor place to plead a change of heart when we are here under prearranged agreement that this was not to be more than that."

"But seeing her…" He paused and swallowed the lump in his throat, "Seeing you, Chichi. You look so beautiful. So radiant. I was a fool, an idiot to treat you the way I did. Just tell me what I need to do to get you back. I would do anything. I will do anything it takes. Just name it."

Chichi moved back in her seat, wanting to put as much space between herself and him as possible. "Just sign the papers, Max. All I want are my personal belongings. You can keep everything else." She shook her head as she looked at him, feeling painfully confused. The look in his eyes was one of desperation, as though he truly meant what he said. She almost felt sorry for him. Something twinged in her heart. Didn't she know what it was like to have a change of heart, to want to make amends? "Maxwell," she said softly, "Do you really mean that you're sorry? Really?"

He rubbed at his eyes a moment, not paying any attention to the looks he received from the women on either side of her. If looks could kill, he'd be dead several times over. He looked up at her, "Have you ever known me to say I am sorry? For anything? Chichi, I… I don't want to do this anymore without you. I need you with me. Come back home, let me right all the wrongs that I have done. I have a lot to answer for."

If he'd said these things before she met Hercule, she would've gone back without hesitation. She loathed herself for thinking it. But she had something so much better now. Why did his words bother her so much? She swallowed harshly and tangled her fingers with Madeline's under the table. "I can't do that, Maxwell," she said softly. She met his eyes and a knot formed in her throat at the way he looked at her. When she spoke again, it was barely above a whisper. "Don't do this to me. Don't sit there and look at me like that." Did she really pity him or did she just see her own longing for forgiveness reflected in him? Either way, she wanted to escape, to run from this room and be done with him.

Madeline frowned deeply and shook her head. She reached across the table and pulled back the divorce papers and placed them in front of Chichi as Maxwell's eyes grew red and he covered them with a hand. "Chichi, sign first, make sure you have a list of the items you want as well." She didn't like how this was going. She had expected rage, fury from this man, but instead they were seeing this.

Maxwell shook his head. "Please don't, Chichi. Don't sign. I can't." He ran a hand through his hair, looking frazzled. Beyond frazzled as he watched his wife sign her name onto the required forms. "I haven't been able to look at other women since you left. I only have eyes for you. You haunt my dreams and it hurts me so deeply to have you so close and yet I can't have you. I want so much to show you how much I care, how much I love you. I squandered what I had with you."

It was with a trembling hand that Chichi signed her name after making sure the list was in order. She didn't meet his eyes as she placed the pen on the stack of papers and slid it back towards him. "I hope one day you can be happy, Maxwell," she said softly. A sadness seemed to fill her chest and she didn't understand it. She should've screamed at him that he deserved to hurt, that he had done so much worse to her. But seeing and hearing how broken he was at that moment, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She felt Madeline pull at her hand and she stood to follow her out of the room.

Ryan trailed after them, but paused at the door to look back at Maxwell. "I really hope it hurts as much as you say. Cause your bitch ass deserves so much worse, fucker," she spat at him and slammed the door behind her as they left.

Maxwell kept his head bowed until Hercule's lawyer left the room and he turned to watch the four of them leave the building. His expression turned to one of disgust and anger and he slammed his hand into the table, making it rattle. "Fuck that stupid bitch and her stupid lesbian guard dogs." He turned to glare daggers at his lawyer. He knew he wasn't to blame, but fuck it all if he didn't need to lash out at something. "And you just sat there on your useless ass. There could have been something you could have done!" He stood up so fast, the chair he had been sitting on fell to the ground with a loud bang and he paced for a moment, his hands clenching and unclenching. "She is making me look the fool to my clients. Do you have any idea how defaming it is to have them look at me and think that I can't even control my own wife?"

The lawyer straightened the papers and calmly placed them back into his briefcase. "Well it's not like you gave me much opportunity to speak. Not with that little act you put on," he answered evenly. "I have to admit, that was some rather impressive acting. You almost convinced even me for a moment." He finally looked up at Maxwell, all traces of remorse gone from the man's face. "I'm sure it is trying for you. Be patient. We will find a way to get this situation under control."

* * *

"What was he playing at?" Ryan demanded as they rode home. "I'm tellin' you, that shit-weasel was up to something." She crossed her arms angrily over her chest, fuming as she thought about it. "I should've just gone in there, kicked his ass good, and forced him to sign the damn papers before he could even open his mouth." She angrily kicked the seat in front of her. "Piss!"

Madeline snorted and nodded, "I'm going to have to agree with you on this one. He seemed desperate, but exceedingly so." She looked to Chichi, reaching over and giving her knee a squeeze. "Don't believe him for a second."

Chichi frowned. "Don't be so quick to judge," she scolded the younger women. She stared hard at the seat in front of her, trying to work it all out in her head. What on earth had just happened? Maxwell had never, ever acted like that before. Maybe he really meant it. It confused her and made her head hurt.

Ryan raised an eyebrow in disbelief and exchanged a look with Madeline. "What do you mean? Don't be so quick to judge? Chichi, that's the cocksucker that has tried to kill you! He beat you, humiliated you. He's dragged the rest of us into this. Don't judge him? The fuck is going on in your head?"

Chichi didn't answer. Truth be told, she wasn't sure what she thought in that moment. She just wanted to be home, to be safe next to Hercule. It would be easier to forget about the meeting if she was by his side. "Hush, Ryan," she said softly.

Ryan's eyes went wide and she scooted away from Chichi, looking as though the older woman had scalded her. Her eyes narrowed a moment later. "If you're thinking about going back to that abusive prick…"

"I'm not!" Chichi snapped as they pulled up in front of Hercule's mansion. The very idea made her sick to her stomach. Pressing her lips to a hard line, she shook her head and got out of the car to march up the steps to the front door. "I'll be in my room if anyone needs me," she stated over her shoulder. "I have to get out of these clothes."

Madeline shook her head, holding her face, "You know, you can't just say things like that in this household. Perverted people take it the wrong way!" She laughed and turned to Ryan just in time to clap a hand over her open mouth. "No. I have a better use for you and your heated comments."

Hercule, in his room at the time they arrived back, heard the commotion and ventured out of his room to stand at the top of the stairs. He watched as Chichi stalked up them with a heavy weight on her mind. "Did it go that badly?" he asked, turning to follow her when she didn't stop.

Chichi shook her head as she went into her room, leaving the door open so he could follow her. "No. It didn't go bad. It was," she paused and slipped off her shoes as she thought about the proper word for it. "Confusing," she finally said and pulled off the jacket she wore. She turned to him, unsure of what to say. "Maxwell apologized. For everything. Tried to get me to stop the divorce, to come home with him. Hercule… I think he meant what he said."

He turned and closed the door behind himself before he turned to Chichi. Concern was etched onto his face. He felt his chest clench unpleasantly as he thought about Maxwell trying to apologize to the women before him. "You have to know that someone like me would find his apology a little bit hard to believe. You should know. At least, take it with a grain of salt."

Chichi fiddled with her earrings and set them on the vanity. "I don't know what to believe. Part of me says that someone like him can never change. And then the other part of me is screaming _hypocrite!_ at myself," she said. "Everyone thought I would never change. They still think that. How can I expect people to believe me when I won't believe the same of anyone else?"

He pressed his lips together and went to the bed to sit down. He looked at the floor and pressed his fingers together. "You are even more amazing for believing that someone who hurt you like he did could ever change. True, people deserve that chance. What does your gut tell you?"

She blinked wide-eyed in the mirror at him. "I don't know," she answered and moved about, changing into more comfortable jeans and a shirt, firing off questions as fast as they came to her. "I want to believe him. I want to hate him, though, too. Am I supposed to forgive him? If he really has had a change of heart, does that mean I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder? Or was this some ploy to get me to drop my guard? Gods, he looked so genuine, though. What do I do? Am I supposed to do anything at all? Hercule, what am I supposed to do?" She was nearly breathless by the time she finished, still pacing the room.

He watched her carefully, letting her blow off what had been on her mind. "Chichi, I can't tell you what to do. My gut, my personal experience, tells me that I wouldn't trust him at all. My father would play the same thing with my mother. Only he would, time after time, betray what he had promised her," he said bitterly. "But I knew my father. You know this Maxwell. You can only believe what you will." He pressed his lips together, "Does he want you back?"

"Yes," she answered, seeing no point in lying to him. "He wants me back." She walked closer to Hercule and cupped his face in her hands, staring into his eyes. "But that doesn't matter. I want to be here with you." She drew a long breath through her nose as realization hit her. "You know what? It doesn't matter if he's changed or not. What he does or who he is doesn't affect me anymore." She rubbed her nose affectionately against his. "As long as I'm with you, that's all that matters to me."

Hercule felt a warmth bloom in him and he smiled at Chichi, pulling back slightly so he could press a kiss to her forehead. "I am glad to hear you say so," he said quietly before he pulled her into his embrace. "I wouldn't let you go if I could help it. I wouldn't stop you, but I'm not sure if I could sit idly by and watch you go back to him." He swallowed harshly, "He can't be trusted. He killed someone to get you. He hasn't paid for that yet. I couldn't trust him even if he did."

Chichi frowned sadly. "I know. Just… damn it." She sighed. "I guess a small part of me, okay, a big part of me, hoped that he meant it. Because if he did, that meant maybe I could relax a little. Go out in public a little more, you know?" She rested her head on his shoulder. "I guess that's never going to change."

Hercule smiled at her, "Then let's test this. We can venture out more. If he truly means what he said today, then you shouldn't be a prisoner here. We can relax. Maybe you are right, that he had changed. We will see, won't we?"

She playfully slapped his chest. "I'm no prisoner here," she muttered and nuzzled under his chin. "I really hope he meant what he said today. It'd be nice to think that our life together could be somewhat normal." She smiled and kissed his jaw. "You're right. I guess we'll just wait and see."


	23. Like I'm Gonna Lose You

Hercule grinned as he landed the finishing blow to his opponent, laughing loudly as the other man landed heavily in the ring, a knockout. He raised his hands above his head, turning around in the ring as he waved to his fans who were now on their feet at the incredible match. They had certainly gotten a run for their money. He had to admit, it was a closer match than he would have liked. He was going to have to start training more instead of spending the day in bed with Chichi. He smiled at that thought, turning towards the backstage, giving the little lady a special grin and a wink. He was so glad she had agreed to come to the fight that night.

Chichi smiled warmly at him, proud of him for winning his fight. He would be sore later and already her mind was full of ideas for them. A nice soak in the hot tub, followed by a long massage. She waved back at him, ready to get home so she could take care of him. But as he went to exit the ring, instead of heading backstage like she thought he would, he turned to his fans to start signing autographs and posing for pictures with them. She sighed and leaned against the wall, waiting patiently for him to make his way back to her.

Hercule nearly growled in frustration as he gave into his demanding fans, his agent giving him a look to pay some love to the patrons. He enjoyed his fans greatly, but he now had someone better to go home to, to go home with. She knew the truth about him and still loved him for it. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. He gave two busty fans a smile as he signed a photograph of himself. One of those photoshopped things of himself standing over the defeated body of Cell. He hated those things. He quickly signed the picture, but was surprised when he was suddenly yanked forward by one of the girls, his face landing in ample cleavage. He pulled back, recovering by pulling both of them into his arms so he didn't end up in the mass of his fans. He gave a wave around the arena, giving the rest of the crowd a smile and a wave with the women in his arms.

Chichi felt sick. What on earth was he doing, flouncing around with those women like that? She understood that he had fans and that those fans demanded his attention, but not like that. She was furious. And even more to the point, she was heartbroken. She thought she meant more to him than that, that he respected her more than that. Angry tears burned at her eyes as she watched the display, the way he smiled and laughed, his arms around women half her age or less. When one of them planted a big, smacking kiss on his cheek, she decided she'd seen enough. Images of Maxwell parading around with his latest girlfriend before her danced in her memory. She felt incredibly stupid in that moment. All men really were the same. She wiped at her eyes before she turned on her heel and stormed out to the car that was waiting for them and threw herself into the backseat, crossing her arms tightly over her chest.

Hercule was exhausted by the time his agent realized he was in trouble and came to the rescue with the excuse that he had other important things to do to help save the world, stuff like that. He looked around backstage for Chichi as he quickly changed out of his fighting gear. His muscles protested as he did so. His heart sank when he couldn't find her. Thankfully, one of the backstage hands told him that Chichi had already gone out to the car. He winced, thinking how long she had been out there. He had to do some convincing to get her to come out, he wondered if the violence had been too much. He hurried outside, wincing at the cold. His driver opened the door for him and he quickly slipped inside, smiling as he saw Chichi sitting there, her arms wrapped around herself. "Cold out there, isn't it?" he said.

"Yes it is," she answered curtly, not looking at him as she spoke. She crossed one leg over the other and sat as close to the window of the car as she possibly could. She knew her eyes were bloodshot from the angry tears that burned there, her mascara smudged. She pressed her lips thin and sighed through her nose, feeling like an absolute fool. She was grateful when the car started to move. The faster they got back to his home, the sooner she could put some space between them. She wanted to take her things and go, but losing him would hurt so bad she didn't know if she could stand it. But even so, she was not about to sit around and play housewife to another philanderer. She refused to.

Hercule immediately picked up on her cold tone and he looked over at her with a confused expression. "Hey, Little Lady, what's wrong? Is everything alright? What happened?" He was worried then and he looked around outside, feeling silly for a moment as they were moving. "Did you see someone? Was Maxwell at the fight?" he asked defensively, feeling his hackles raise up.

"He might as well have been," she snapped, still staring out the darkened window. She wiped at her eyes again with her hand before crossing her arms over her chest once more. She didn't want to talk to him, she didn't want to look at him. She was so furious with herself for trusting him like that. At least she'd finally learned her lesson. Men were not to be trusted, no matter how flattering or considerate they appeared to be. The second something younger and prettier came along, all they thought about was appeasing their own needs.

He blinked at her, reaching out and touching her arm, wincing as she recoiled from him. "Hey now, what's going on? What happened? You didn't like me fighting? Is that what this is about?" He was starting to worry, thinking over what he might have done to upset her, if there was anyone else there to upset her. He couldn't think of anything and he was left grasping at straws.

She didn't answer. She was so upset, so angry, so hurt that she didn't know if she could answer without screaming at him. She shook her head stiffly at his question. The fighting had nothing to do with the way she felt. She'd watched his matches on TV before, seeing them in person wasn't that much of a difference, really. It was the dumb, pretty, busty young bimbos that climbed all over him after the match that bothered her. How could she compete with women like that? She knew the answer. She couldn't. She'd tried to with Maxwell and all it seemed to do was to push him further into their arms.

Hercule frowned at her. They hadn't had a problem talking and this seemed rather out of the blue. "Chichi, I can't fix what's wrong if you don't talk to me. What did I do?" He couldn't think of anything. He hadn't done anything out of the ordinary. He fought well, no dirty tricks, had some face time with his fans.

His face paled as he thought it over. His face had ended up in the ample cleavage of one of his fans. The same fan who had given him a big kiss on the cheek. He winced, remembering what Chichi had told him about Maxwell, how he always had some pretty young somethings in his arms instead of her. "Oh no," he said breathlessly, "Chichi, no. That wasn't anything. That was some silly fan. One of those pretenders I keep telling you about. Those ones that would do anything to get in my bed. That didn't mean anything. I know, I wish I didn't have to deal with them, but I can't just shove fans away. I can't do that."

"No, you certainly wouldn't want to shove away a pretty little thing like that, would you?" she snapped viciously as the car rolled to a stop in front of his home. She didn't even wait for the driver to open her door before she threw it open and got out quickly. "I understand that you have to spend time with your fans. What I didn't realize is that it involved shoving your face into her breasts!" She slammed the door in his face and marched around the car, ignoring Madeline as she opened the front door for them, and stomped up the stairs towards her room, wiping more angry tears from her eyes as she went.

Hercule was really frightened now, giving Madeline a look of fear as he hurried after Chichi. "I was yanked forward. One of them grabbed me. I pulled back as soon as I got my feet back." He tried to follow her into her room, but the door slammed in his face and a sharp pain lanced through his nose as the door hit it. "Chichi!" he cried out in pain as he dropped to his knees, "You know I'm not that kind of guy!" He insisted. A shadow fell over him and he looked up at Madeline with tears in his eyes, blood starting to drip down his nose. "I didn't," He grasped at straws, "I didn't mean it."

Madeline frowned, looking at the closed door before she knelt down and helped Hercule stand up. "Don't you worry about a thing. Go clean that up, keep constant pressure on it. Tilt your head back."

Chichi leaned against the door, more tears streaming down her face as she heard Hercule protest that he wasn't that sort of man. She knew it was a lie now. All men were that way. She shook her head and moved to her closet, pulling her clothes out to fold up. She didn't have a suitcase, but perhaps she could borrow one from Madeline. She was not staying in the same house as that man. Her hands shook as she tried to fold the clothes, her vision went blurry with tears, and a loud sob escaped her throat as her knees gave out and she dropped at the foot of the bed, crying.

Hercule shrugged Madeline's hand off. "No, I have to fix this," he insisted, carefully opening the door and looking in. His heart cried out as he saw Chichi sobbing at the foot of the bed. He wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve before he went in, falling to his knees a few feet from Chichi, bowing to her. "Chichi, please listen to me. I know what you've been through, I know what Maxwell put you through. Why on earth would I jeopardize this wonderful relationship that we have for some fake thing at the arena? I'm not even myself there. I'm just Hercule there. They don't know me, I don't care for them. I don't care for them like I care for you."

She looked over at him, fury and hurt in her eyes. "I don't know why you'd jeopardize this unless it really doesn't mean anything to you," she snapped. "You told me you were different! You told me I was safe with you!" She forced herself to her feet and stomped over to the closet, grabbing more of her clothes before she went and slammed them on the bed, folding them as neatly as her shaking hands would allow. "I just wonder how many times things like that have happened when I wasn't there and you didn't tell me about it." She pressed her lips to a thin line, so tightly that her chin trembled. "You're no different than any other man out there. You're all the same. You say you care about a woman until something younger and prettier comes along. I feel so stupid," she sobbed, the last sentence a whisper as she hung her head.

Madeline came in the room then, nudging at Hercule with her foot, a fiercely protective look on her face. "Champ, go take care of that nose. Have Ryan set it, it looks like it's broken," she said. She frowned when he didn't immediately get up and she gripped the back of his collar and tugged on it until he stood. "Go. Now," she said as she pushed him out the door and shut it behind him. She turned and looked back at Chichi, looking the older woman up and down before she sighed and went to the closet. She plucked a handful of shirts off the hangers and took them to the bed where she started folding them and putting them with what Chichi had already done. "Where will you go?"

"I don't know," Chichi answered, wiping her eyes with the heel of her hand. "Maybe Bulma will let me stay with her for a few days until I can figure something out. I don't know." She could hardly think straight, she was so angry and hurt, feeling stupid and gullible all at the same time. She dropped her hands in a defeated sort of way and looked over at Madeline, her bottom lip quivering as she tried to fight her tears. "How do I keep ending up in these situations? I thought he was different. I really, really thought he was different. But they're all the same, aren't they?"

Madeline didn't look over at Chichi, continuing to fold the clothes. "They are all the same if you paint them with the same brush," she said before she turned on her heel and grabbed more clothes, "And if you are someone who paints with world with that one brush, then I don't think you need to be here either." She looked back up at Chichi, her eyes sharp. "Because that man whose nose you just broke, who you have accused of being unfaithful, has done more for me and Ryan than anyone I have ever known. When others turned their noses up at me, judged me for who I am, he was there to defend me and my choices. When Ryan came to him for help, he didn't shove his face in her breasts. He taught her how to defend herself, he gave her a job and introduced us. So if you are going to paint him the same color as Maxwell because of a misunderstanding, then you don't deserve his kindness."

"I never deserved any kindness from the beginning," Chichi answered.

Madeline cut her off, "Yet he gave it to you, didn't he? Without asking, he gave you his kindness. He saved your life without a second thought when he could have just left you to your fate with Maxwell. He gave you so much and now because you think because one of his fans got over excited that he should pay the price? Do you know how many of his fans do inappropriate things to him on a regular basis? A lot. Those fake women, the ones who want a piece of his pay check, they do a lot more than just shove his face into their cleavage. They grope him, file false claims that he sexually assaulted them backstage, offer to suck his dick, have his babies, anything you can imagine. You really think that he would insult you like that? After what he has done for you? He told you his real name! There are only three people who know his real name and I'll clue you in, it's not any of those fucking bimbos at the arena who wish he would give them the time of day. You think long and hard, Chichi, about what you really want and what you know about Mark."

Chichi collapsed on the floor again, her shoulders shaking with sobs. She was so confused. She knew that Hercule was kind, compassionate, that he cared for her in a way that she'd never experienced before. But seeing him with those other women just brought up so many memories of Maxwell and the way he treated her. She didn't know what to think. She leaned over her knees, crying in earnest, gasping for air. "I wish I'd never gone to that stupid match! I didn't want to see that! I know he's not Maxwell, but how do I separate it in my mind? I saw him with those women and all I could think about was Maxwell flaunting his girlfriends around in front of me while I just stood on the sidelines and said nothing. I don't want to lose Mark. I don't want to leave, Maddie. I don't want to leave," she sobbed, grabbing at her hair, rocking herself as she cried. She'd never felt so utterly heartbroken in her life. And it wasn't because of what she'd seen, but because she was preparing to walk out of his house, out of his life, and she didn't know if she could bear to be apart from him.

Madeline looked down at Chichi on the floor, her expression unmoved by Chichi's tears. "Wait here," she said sternly, disappearing out the door. Hercule had gone to his room. Just as well, she thought as she disappeared into her own, grabbing a small suitcase from her closet and drug it back to Chichi's room. She knew what needed to be done. She put the suitcase down on the bed, a little harder than was necessary. She started picking up the clothes that Chichi had folded up and stacked. She let Chichi sob on the ground as she walked around and finished packing for Chichi, going into the bathroom and getting her things from there as well. Satisfied that she had everything, she zipped up the suitcase and set it on the ground.

Chichi looked up at Madeline, the tears still pouring down her face. "You really do think I should leave, don't you?" she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs as she stared at the suitcase. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to leave him. But she didn't want to get hurt again either. She whimpered and pressed her forehead to her knees as she cried even harder. "I don't want to go. I love him."

Madeline looked down at her. "Get up, Chichi," she said as she tugged on the suitcase, exiting the room and leaving the door wide open. "Come on. This is no longer your room. Get up," she said before she walked off down the hallway pulling Chichi's stuff after her. It was a tough love move that she pulled right now, but it seemed Chichi was hiding a strong-willed attitude under there and this was the most effective way to show her how wrong she was. "Chichi, I'm not asking again. Come out here or I will get security."

Now that she was faced with really going, that Madeline was carrying her stuff out, she didn't want to go. Perhaps Madeline was right, it wasn't Hercule's fault that those women had hung all over him like that. But still, putting his arms around them like that bothered her. She couldn't let it end like this. She couldn't just walk out without speaking to him, without straightening this all out. "No," she finally said. "I'm not leaving without talking to him first. He won't let you throw me out like this."

Madeline snorted, already heading up the stairs towards Hercule's room, the suitcase firmly in tow. "Then stop dragging your feet and come here," she said firmly, a little more bite in her words than she had intended, "Come here, dammit." She stopped outside of Hercule's room, tapping her foot in irritation.

Chichi peered out of her room, hearing Madeline's voice not from downstairs by the front door, but upstairs instead. "What?" she whispered in confusion and cautiously crept up the stairs. She hesitated when she saw Madeline standing there. "You're not gonna throw me out the window or anything, right?" she asked, trying to joke, but the fresh tears that spilled down her cheeks ruined the effect.

Madeline wasn't moved and reached over, grabbing Chichi's forearm and yanked her closer before she pushed the door open to show her a defeated Hercule, crying as he tended to his nose. "I might," she said as she put Chichi in front of her, "Now you tell me what you see here. Does this look like a man who looks proud of what happened? Does he look like he doesn't give a flying fuck about your emotions? Does he look like a man who has just had arm candy and was proud of it? Or does he look like a man who is about to lose the love of his life because you think he is just as shitty as your husband?"

"Mark," she breathed and took a step towards him, feeling horribly guilty in that moment for jumping to conclusions. And she certainly hadn't meant to hit him with the door when she slammed it; she hadn't realized he was so close behind her. "Mark, I'm sorry!" she blurted out and hurried over to him, looking at his bruised nose, the blood on his shirt. She wiped at the tears on her face as she cried. She knelt next to him, pressing her hands to her mouth as she tried to stop herself from crying. "I didn't mean to hurt you," she choked out.

Madeline bit her lip to stop herself from saying something else. She shook her head and pushed the suitcase inside the room. "There, now you can keep an eye on him," she said coolly, a voice full of a frosty promise if she hurt him again. She turned and slammed the door behind her.

Hercule winced, trying to wipe away his tears as he peered over at Chichi. "I'm so sorry, Little Lady. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I don't want you to think that anyone could hold a candle to you. Because they can't. Gods Chichi, you are so perfect. Why would I want anyone else?" he cried out.

She realized how wrong she was in that moment. She shook her head at him. "No, I was the one in the wrong. I just, I saw you with those women, and I saw how much younger they were than me and how much prettier they are than me and it made me think of Maxwell and I just lost it. I just completely lost my mind. Because I thought I was losing you. I thought it was him all over again and I just… my heart…" Her voice broke as she pressed her hand over her chest and fresh tears poured down her face. She didn't think she'd ever felt such pain in her life, not even when her mating mark with Goku died. And that had been an excruciating experience. But this, the thought of losing him, made her hurt so bad she thought she might get sick. A strangled cry wrenched from her throat, her teeth clenched as she tried to fight it. There was no denying now how deeply in love she was with this man.

Hercule looked over at her, he could barely see through the tears in his eyes. "Chichi," he said, barely a whisper. Her words were of someone who was afraid. "You are so gorgeous. I can't see those other women, I'm blinded by you," he gasped, reaching out for her and pulling her into his warms. He wrapped her tightly in his grasp, afraid that she would vanish away if he didn't. "You're more than just beauty to me, Chichi. You have to know that. I've shared so much with you. So much that no one else could possibly come close to knowing. They can't have me because I'm yours. Only yours."

He was hurting so much now, his physical wounds seemed to pale in comparison to that of his breaking heart. The thought of losing her now, it was more than he could bear. "Please don't leave me." He could barely understand it, did she really think she wasn't pretty?

She shook in his embrace, afraid of what she'd almost done. "I can't leave you," she choked out, wrapping her arms around him. She buried her face into the side of his neck, almost curling in on herself as she cried. "I just got so scared. I don't ever want to lose you. Why can't I get the things he did out of my head? It just felt like such a slap in the face when I saw that tonight and I didn't even give you a chance to explain. I just flew off the handle. Gods, I'm a damn mess. You don't deserve to be treated like this. You shouldn't have to put up with me and my demons. This isn't fair to you." She couldn't understand why he would want to put up with her anymore. All the little quirks, the fears, the freak-outs over nothing. He didn't deserve to put up with all of her baggage. "You deserve better than me. And I know it."

He only hugged her tighter. "Stop it. I'll decide what I want to put up with. I'm so sorry. I'll make sure that situation can never happen again. I don't want to jeopardize what I have with you. You are too precious to me," he murmured against her shoulder before he leaned back and looked at her. They must have made quite the pair, both of them with their faces red and tear stained. "The only woman I want to flaunt around is you. And even then it's with reservations, I don't want to belittle what we have by making a spectacle of it. You are so beautiful, Chichi."

"Do you really mean that?" she asked in a tiny voice. More tears spilled down her cheeks and she leaned her forehead against his. "I almost made a terrible mistake. I know you're not the same as him. I know that. I'm so stupid. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did." She pressed a tiny kiss to his lips. He really did think she was beautiful, and she really was safe with him. She could trust him. She stared into his blue eyes and gently ran her fingers through his hair. "I love you, Mark," she whispered.

He smiled at her kissing her back fiercely, his heart was soaring in his chest. He pulled back, resting their heads together. "I love you too, Chichi. Now stop all this talk of calling yourself stupid. You aren't. You are just guarded. If I had been through what you were put through, I'd probably react the same way. But trust me when I say there is no one you should be jealous of. And I promise you that I will never be like him. I would never hurt you. Never," he said as he ran his fingers through her hair, sighing against her.

"I know," she answered softly. She gave a little smile and kissed him again before she moved to stand up. "Come on, you haven't had your shower yet. I know you like to get cleaned up as soon as you get home from your matches." She tugged on his hand until he stood, then led him into the bathroom. She turned on the heads in the shower before she turned to him and started unbuttoning his shirt for him. She was still sniffling a little bit from crying so much as she worked to undress him. "You deserve a nice, long soak in the shower. I don't want you to be sore in the morning."

He smiled at her, helping her undress himself. "You know I could use some company in there," he chuckled, reaching out and unbuttoning her blouse. "I think a hot, relaxing shower is what we both need after tonight," he said as he carefully pushed the soft fabric off of her shoulders, leaning down and kissing at the creamy skin as it was revealed to him, "I want to show you how beautiful you are."

"I was planning on it," she answered, smiling at him as he carefully peeled away her clothing until they were both bare to each other. She took his hand and stepped into the shower, sighing as the hot water hit her skin. She tilted her face towards one of the showerheads, letting the hot water wash away her tears. Oh, what a terrible mistake she'd almost made. She had to stop holding him accountable for the things Maxwell had done to her. They were not the same.

Chichi grabbed the body wash and a cloth, working it into a lather before she turned to him and began to scrub at his skin, massaging the muscles underneath as she went. "I was so proud of you today," she said, working her hand over the muscles of his chest. "I loved watching you win your match. You really are a brilliant fighter." She let her hand trail lower, working over his abs, the fronts of his hips.

Hercule was in heaven, letting her carefully wash away his aches and pains. Her hands and the soft cloth were bliss as she soothed his skin, carefully cleaning him. He half smiled at her compliment. "Thanks, Little Lady," he purred at her, "I was trying to make it a good show for you, but that guy just wouldn't let me have it. Had to actually work for it." He bit back a moan as her hands drifted lower. "Gods, that feels great," he murmured at her, wanting to return the favor. Maybe wash her hair with that vanilla she liked so much, give her a happy ending to boot. He chuckled at her as his length gave a twitch, hardening between them, "Hehe, sorry. You drive me crazy, Chichi."

She couldn't help but to smile even as she leaned her forehead against his chest, looking down at his hard length as she worked the washcloth over him. She needed to show him that she did trust him, that she was sorry for what she'd done. She wanted to give something to him and not expect anything in return for once. She turned him towards the shower, letting the water rinse away the soap as she worked the cloth over his back, digging her fingers deep into his muscles just the way she knew he liked. "You drive me crazy, too, you know," she said in a low voice when she'd finished washing him. She tossed the rag over her shoulder before she slid her hands around his waist, her hand drifting down to curl around his hard member. "You're all I think about all day long," she breathed, stroking her hand up and down his shaft, biting her lip as it firmed even more in her hand. She encouraged him to turn towards her again and peered up at him with hooded eyes as the water ran down her face. "I'm sorry for earlier. You are different. I know you wouldn't treat me the way he did. I trust you, Mark." She lowered herself to her knees before him, her hand still around his shaft, and ever so carefully, she leaned in to kiss hotly at his hard flesh.

Hercule couldn't hide the shock on his face or stop the moan that worked it's way past his lips. He braced himself against the wall of the shower and looked down at her with alarm. He knew this wasn't something she enjoyed, she had told him what Maxwell had done to her. "Chichi! Don't." He sucked in a harsh breath, his cock throbbing at the wonderful feeling on his cock. "Oooh," he shuddered, "Don't do this because you think you need to punish yourself. I forgive you, Chichi."

Her heart warmed to hear him forgive her and nearly brought fresh tears to her eyes. She pulled back slightly and looked up at him. "No. I want to do this for you. Please, let me," she said, pressing a kiss to the tip of his cock, pulling back and licking the bead of cum from her lips. "Just tell me how you like it," she breathed before she let her tongue play over the head, licking her way down the throbbing shaft. "I want to make you feel good."

Hercule could barely stand the light touches, the feathery kisses she gave him as she teased his cock. He looked down at her, wanting to see her over his cock then, to be buried to the hilt in her throat. "Chichi," he breathed, trying to keep from thrusting his hips forward, "I don't want you to hurt yourself, but gods, I want to see how deep you can take me. See your perfect lips stretched around me, see your slender throat bulging with me." He gasped out, the vision bringing forth another drop of cum to the tip of his shaft.

Chichi stroked his strong length in her hand for a moment as she regarded him, wondering if she could take all of him into her mouth, her throat. She carefully lapped up the bit of cum, moaning at the taste of him. Oh, he tasted so much better than her soon-to-be-ex ever had. She wrapped her lips around the head of his cock, giving a moan as her cheeks hollowed, sucking at him. She pulled back with an obscene pop. "Oh gods, you taste wonderful," she breathed before she captured him in her mouth again, taking more of him, trying to slide him deep into her throat.

Hercule was going crazy with pleasure, the way she licked and suckled at him, moaning out how good he tasted. "Oh gods yes, Chichi, just like that. So, ngh... Good." He looked down at her with half lidded eyes, watching as she tried to take more of him into her mouth. "Easy does it. Don't have to do it all this first time. There will be time to practice at it later," he teased before a delicious suck had him throwing his head back and moaning loudly. His body was shaking like a leaf. The enthusiasm she showed was amazing and nearly as much of a turn on as the act itself. He gently reached out to cup the back of her head, just resting it there as he moaned at the cool silk of her wet strands. This woman was incredible.

Only encouraged by his moans and taking a challenge from his words, Chichi drew a long breath through her nose before she relaxed her throat, descending further on his flesh. She bobbed her head, loving the moans of pleasure from Hercule's voice. She was determined to take him completely. Her hand slid down to cup the soft flesh beneath his shaft, massaging them lightly in her hand as she finally brought her nose to rest in the soft patch of dark hair at the base of his length. She felt a pride flood through her chest then, knowing she'd taken him completely and she swallowed around him before giving him a long suck, smiling inside at the loud moan from him.

Hercule could barely believe what he was seeing, his cock throbbed at the sight. Her eyes looked up at him mischievously, her throat straining as she held him so securely in the hot cavern of her mouth. He reached down, tracing the tight seam of her lips. "Oh Chichi," he moaned, feeling himself throb again, "What you do to me. I'm not sure if I can hold off much longer, this is so hot. You make me so hot and hard. Don't you feel it?"

Chichi nodded, sucking him harder, determined to bring him as much pleasure as she possibly could. She bobbed her head, working her mouth over him, moaning wantonly at the little spurts of precum that dripped onto her tongue and down her throat. She pulled back, breathing hotly over him, "More. I want more. Please come for me." She quickly swallowed him down again, raking her nails down his thighs as she pleasured him.

Hercule nearly came at her request. "May I?" he asked, watching as she bobbed her head yes. He moaned and reached out, gently grasping her head as he let himself rock into her hot cavern, feeling her tongue and hot throat massaging his cock, begging for it. He could feel his balls drawing up tightly against his body. "Oh gods, Chichi, I'm coming. I'm coming!" he shouted as he felt his cock pulse as he came, his creamy cum splurting down his love's throat as she swallowed around him. He stumbled, nearly falling over as he was milked dry. "Oh gods, yes," he shouted over and over, certain that the whole house must have heard him.

Chichi eagerly drank him down, moaning at the sweet flavor of his body. She held him securely in her mouth until she was certain he was finished. She gave one last long suck, pulling every last drop from him before she sat back and swallowed again. She looked up at him and sucked her bottom lip for a moment, a questioning look in her eyes. "Did I do that right? Was it okay?" she asked.

Hercule slid down to the floor of the shower as she pulled away from him and he leaned against the wall, looking over the incredible woman before him. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply, moaning at the taste of himself on her lips. He drank from her deeply before he finally pulled back. He smiled warmly at her. "Thank you, that was absolutely perfect. Perfect," he insisted. "Let me return the favor, Little Lady. Or at least let me wash you up. Then we can go see about playing a game of hide and seek in the bed."

She giggled at him and nodded. "I don't want you to return the favor. I did that for you because I wanted to. Not because I expect anything in return. But if you want to help me wash up, I won't say no to that." She kissed him sweetly, letting her lips linger over his. "I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding. And I'm really sorry I hit your nose with the door. I didn't mean to do that."

Hercule chuckled, reaching behind him to get the vanilla shampoo and poured a good measure into his palm. "No harm done, not the first time this nose has been whacked." He smiled at her, kissing the top of her head before he began massaging the soap in carefully. "I love you, Chichi. I think it would have broken my heart if you left me tonight. I don't ever want to lose you. To no one," he said as he trailed his soapy hands down her shoulders, over the curves of her breasts to rest on her hips, "You are so special to me."

Chichi had to swallow the knot in her throat as she leaned back against him, letting his strong, rough hands work over her. "I'm glad Madeline knows how to keep a level head when everyone around her is going nuts," she answered. "I almost made a terrible mistake tonight. I promise, I won't ever hold you accountable for what your fans do. What happened tonight wasn't your fault. If you ever take me to one of your matches again, I promise to behave. It just… it bothers me that we have to hide our relationship. I wish my divorce was finalized, but he still won't sign the damn papers." She shook her head, leaning more against him. "I love you so much, Mark. I don't want to ever lose you, either."

He nodded, rinsing the suds from her hair before he helped her stand up, giving her a turn under the hot water. "I can't wait to let all those fake fans out there know that I am yours now. How they will deflate in an instant to know that they can't have me." He pulled her to him, leaning down and kissing her soundly. His heart was soaring. "I'll see if I can't get those lawyers to help him get past that phase." He sighed happily and turned off the water, enjoying the hot steam that surrounded them. He got a towel and started drying her off, grinning as he let his fingers tease at the opening to her body before he continued to her back and finally to wrap her hair up. "Come on then, Little Lady. We can call down for food while we get you unpacked."

"Unpacked?" she asked, blinking up at him. "You mean, you want me to move in to your room?" Her heart skipped a beat at that, a big smile splitting her face. She could sleep next to him every night, wake up next to him every morning. It sounded like heaven to her. "You mean it?" she asked excitedly and jumped into his arms, kissing him fiercely. She didn't want to let go of him as she hugged him tightly, grinning like a fool.

He chuckled and twirled her around. "Well, of course I mean it. I don't say things I don't mean." He grinned up at her. Gods, she fit so perfectly in his arms. He wanted nothing more than to take her out to the bed and make love to her all night, but his stomach growled loudly at him. "Besides, now I want to do something for you." He grinned, "And we both are going to need our energy for that."

* * *

**Author's Note: **We are not dead! My old computer crashed and we lost all the chapters we had written for this. I hoped I would recover those files sooner, but it didn't happen until about a week ago. Instead of rewriting them, we ended up playing with another fandom over at Archive of Our Own. So I'm sorry for anyone who was waiting for this story to be updated. Hopefully we'll get the rest of the chapters posted quickly.


	24. Fairytale

Ryan stormed through the halls of the mansion the next morning, the tabloid flyers clutched in her hand. She was seeing red. She couldn't believe the headlines that morning, how everything got so blown out of proportion so quickly. She didn't even bother to knock on Hercule's bedroom door as she entered and marched over to his side of the bed, shaking him awake. "You gotta get up. We've got serious trouble," she said, dropping the magazines in his lap. "Someone's fuckin' with you and I wanna know whose head to bash in."

Hercule jerked awake, curling around Chichi's bare form a moment before his eyes snapped open and he looked at Ryan with slight irritation. "What time is it?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep. They hadn't gotten much last night, he remembered with a smile. It dropped off his face as he unfurled from Chichi and sat up in bed, readjusting the covers over her body before he took the papers from Ryan. His eyes widened in shock at the picture of himself and Chichi, a real photo made to look as if Chichi was showing more skin than he knew to be true. His own privates had been blurred as if they had been caught in a private moment. "What the hell is this?"

Ryan shook her head, her fists clenched at her sides so tightly her arms shook. "I don't know. But this shit is all over the place. The tabloids, the newspapers, even on TV! It's been so long since they've seen you have a private moment with a woman that everyone is going nuts!" she cried. She was near tears. She hated seeing him in the news when he was being painted in a bad light. "This shit's gettin' more coverage than the royal wedding." She threw herself down to sit on the edge of the bed, looking over as Chichi stirred. "Sorry, Champ. I didn't mean to intrude, but we have to do damage control. FAST."

"What's going on?" Chichi asked sleepily as she sat up and rubbed her eyes, her long ebony hair stuck out at odd angles. She smiled warmly at Hercule when she saw him sitting up in bed. "Hi honey," she yawned and leaned against his side, but gave a start when she saw Ryan sitting there and she grabbed the blankets, pulling them up to cover her bare chest. "What's going on?" she asked, suddenly much more awake. She tipped her head, looking at the magazines in Hercule's lap. "What in the world?" she breathed, picking up one, her face going pale. Headlines with the words "Gold-Digger" and "Adultery" were splashed all over the front with pictures of her and Hercule. "What is this?"

Hercule growled, he knew exactly what it was. He pushed the covers to the side, unashamed of his own nakedness and quickly pulled on his boxers before he got up and went to his closet. This was not how he wanted to spend the first morning with Chichi when she had stayed in his room for the first time. Their room, he thought briefly. "It's Maxwell. He threatened he would do something like this," he said over his shoulder as he pulled on his traditional fighting gi. "Madeline call a press conference already?" he asked as he came back over to the bed, frowning at the frightened look on Chichi's face. He was going to wring that guy's neck. She was such a classy lady, to see her painted in such a bad light hurt more than he wanted to admit.

"She's getting everything ready right now," Ryan answered, shaking her head at the magazines on the bed. "Be careful wherever you go in the house. Maddie's got the staff closing the blinds, but the paparazzi are all over the damn street. They don't even know what the hell they're doing. It's like every damn station has a different story. Some are saying she left her husband to be with you, others are saying you kidnapped her. All of them are painting Maxwell as a victim. Supposedly there's police reports about her going missing and that your lawyers were keeping the police from speaking to her. This is a hot damn mess."

Chichi pressed a shaking hand to her mouth. Her every fear, her every worry about what people would think, what they would view her as, was right there, splashed across the front pages of newspapers, being blasted across television screens. She hung her head, feeling defeated. "I'm so sorry, Mark. This is a nightmare," she murmured.

Hercule's face softened and he went to sit next to her on the edge of the bed. He cupped her face, thumbing at her cheek. He smiled at her. "Hey, don't you worry, Little Lady. This isn't the first time this has happened, although, this scale is a bit over the top. It doesn't matter. What matters is that we know the truth of the situation. The people who matter know the truth," he said, combing his fingers through her soft hair, "Chichi, I'm going to need your help on this one. I need to show them that you are safe and sound with me. I have to show them the documentation of when you filed for divorce, maybe even those bruises that first night you came with us. When we broke you out of that mad man's house. I want you by my side for this."

"Wh-what?" she stammered in shock. She shook her head furiously. "Hercule, I can't go out there in front of all those people! Isn't there a way to just, you know, say it was all a lie and let me just hide in here?" She nearly pouted when he shook his head. She drew a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. He needed her, he needed her support. She grasped his hands in hers and met his eyes. "Okay. Just tell me what to do. Anything you need, I'll do it."

"I'll go tell Maddie that you're up and I'll get one someone to get Chichi's clothes and hair ready," Ryan said. She smirked at Chichi's look. "We have people trained for this sort of thing. Just trust them. Or should I send Madeline to help her get ready? She might know how to handle this better. Your call, Champ. Tell me what to do."

Hercule looked over at Ryan. "Send Madeline. I don't want Chichi more overwhelmed than what this already is." He watched as Ryan left before he pulled Chichi tightly into his arms. "I'm so sorry. This should never have happened. That jerk needs to let you go. He just doesn't understand that he can't own you any more. That you aren't an object to be used." He pulled back, giving her cheek a kiss before he looked in her eyes. "Thank you. I promise I will make this as quick as possible."

Chichi felt like she was shaking with nerves, but she nodded. Her stomach twisted up in tight knots at the thought of facing all those reporters. Her face was already all over the news and now she had to step out there and be in the spotlight at his side. She was suddenly painfully reminded of the old adage, be careful what you wish for. Hadn't she just said the night before that she hated that they had to hide their relationship? She certainly hadn't expected for this to happen.

"Damn you, Arthusia," she hissed, clenching her hands into fists. Even though the old witch was in the otherworld, she was certain that Arthusia was laughing at her. Her stomach churned again as she thought about the curse and how Maxwell was fulfilling that curse, how he'd treated her the same and even worse than she'd treated Goku. Was Maxwell going to be out there among all those reporters and fans who were swarming around the fence to Hercule's home? Or would he have hired thugs out there? A millions questions swirled through her mind until she felt positively dizzy. "I think I'm gonna be sick," she choked out and threw herself out of the bed and rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her as Madeline and Ryan walked back into the bedroom.

Hercule had to fight tears, she didn't deserve to be treated like this. Abused by Maxwell and even now he still wouldn't let go, determined to drag her down and make sure she stayed broken. He wasn't going to stand for it. His expression grew serious and cooler than it had been. "I hope you've had some of our people trying to dig something up on Maxwell. This is going to turn into a pissing fight with a whole bunch of she said, he said shit flying around." He rubbed at his temples. It was the one thing he hated about his fame. Yes, it helped him further his cause to help stop violence, but it left him open to these unfair attacks and hindered him from having a quiet, happy love life. "I want this guy taken off of his gold throne. Now."

"We have those pictures of Chichi from the first night she came here," Ryan said. "Do you want to release those to the press? Show them what a horrible person Maxwell was? If we call him out like that, though, I don't know what kind of a shit storm we could be causing. He'll want to retaliate. It'll affect his business, his reputation. I'm surprised he went this far. He's risking a lot. He's not playing around. He means business." She cringed as she heard Chichi retch behind the closed bathroom door. "Better out than in, I suppose. Don't want her puking all over the press. Although that might be entertaining."

Hercule gave Ryan a disapproving look, but tapped his finger against his lips as he thought over the pros and cons to releasing those pictures. He didn't want to embarrass Chichi any further than what Maxwell had done. He didn't want to be like Maxwell at all. "I'll let Chichi decide if she's comfortable with those pictures getting out there. It might not help our cause at all. He'll come up and say that those photos were faked or some shit like that." He looked to Madeline, "Any warrants out for me? For Chichi? Any heroes trying to come and rescue her from my clutches?"

"Not that I've heard," Ryan answered before Madeline could. "Sorry," she muttered. "I can't stop talking when I'm pissed. You know that." She chewed her lip and looked over at the bathroom door as Chichi peeked out, looking scared and nervous, but there was a determination she could see in the older woman's eyes at the same time. "You alright?"

Chichi nodded and looked sheepishly at them. "I need my robe or something. Please?" Her face turned pink again as she tried to shield her nakedness behind the bathroom door. She looked over at Madeline, unsure if the younger woman was still upset with her from the night before. She gave Madeline an apologetic look as Ryan handed her the robe and she pulled it on quickly. Chichi ducked her head, not knowing what to say to Madeline. She felt horrible.

Madeline looked Chichi over, giving her a smile. She knew tough love was sometimes the only way to get her point across. Especially with thick headed men like Hercule. It was like trying to push a bull through a door sometimes. "Relax, Chichi. We are going to get this smoothed over as quickly as we can. No one is going to force you to leave either. The staff and I imagine the Champ and Ryan would beat them all down before they could even lay a finger on you." She pulled out her pda and looked down at the little screen, "Press conference in fifteen. My advice, Champ, would be to show those submitted divorce papers we have filed and dated to show this wasn't some last minute romp in the woods. Bring up your campaign against domestic violence, how gradually you fell in love. The press loves a good romance story that borders on scandalous." She looked over at Chichi, "I'm not going to tell you to agree to have those pictures that we documented of you released to the papers. It might help, it might not. I think we should save them as an ace up our sleeves. Say we accuse him of abuse and he tries to deny it. We just let him dig his own hole. We can have the photos verified for authenticity in the meantime and have that documented as well."

Chichi nodded. "If we can get through this without showing those photos, I think it'd be better. I don't want to anger Maxwell any more than he already is. He caused this. If I show those pictures, he's only going to get angrier and try to do something even worse." She ran a hand through her hair before she gave a jump. "Did you say fifteen minutes?! I can't look presentable in fifteen minutes! It'll take me that long just to pick out something to wear!"

Madeline chuckled and looked at Ryan, "Sweetheart, take the Champ downstairs and make sure everything's in order." She watched as Hercule gave Chichi another tender kiss before they left the room. She smiled and followed them out, grabbing something off the door before she turned back and laid a simplistic dress on the bed. "Don't worry about a thing, Chichi. This isn't my first rodeo. Let's get you presentable."

She paused at the look on Chichi's face and she reached out to pull the older woman into a tight hug. "I am sorry about last night. Sometimes what we need is a nice cold bucket of reality thrown in our faces. I'd expect you to do the same for me, gal," she said, pressing a kiss to Chichi's cheek before she pulled back, "Now, let's get you dressed and I'll fix your hair."

Chichi nodded, feeling a huge weight off her shoulders. Madeline was still her friend. And no matter what happened, at the end of the day, Hercule was still her lover. It didn't matter what Maxwell did, he couldn't take this away from her. "Thank you, Madeline," Chichi said and wiped a tear from her eye. "I think losing your friendship would've hurt almost as much as losing him."

She let Madeline dress her in a pretty but modest halter dress and fix her hair and makeup. Chichi shook her head slowly when Madeline insisted she leave it down. "I'm so not cut out for this," she muttered.

Madeline smiled at her in the mirror, tucking a long strand of Chichi's dark hair behind her ear. She had given them a light touch with the curling iron to give them a bit of a wave. She looked casual, but beautiful. "Trust me on this one. The reporters are going to be looking you over for anything that they can use against you. Looking like this, they can't label you anything but the truth. You don't look like a gold digger, or an adulterer. We have proof that you aren't. You've filed for divorce, that's good enough in my book. It's that jerk's fault for not signing the divorce papers in a timely manner." She turned Chichi around and stood her up. "Stay near Hercule. Hold his hand tightly. I'm not sure what kind of game we are playing, but it isn't to be taken lightly. When this is over, you will be able to go out in public holding your head high. Okay? It's, in a roundabout way, a good thing."

* * *

Hercule made his way downstairs, drawing himself up to his full height at the hustle and bustle of the house. He had to hand it to his staff, they knew exactly what to do in these kinds of situations. Might as well have been the oval room at the White House. He spied his lawyers huddled together in the dining room as they poured over documents and other various things. The head lawyer looked up as he entered the room and walked over shaking his head, but extended his hand in greeting. "You alright there, Jim?"

The neat and trim man gave Hercule a look. "I know the last time I spoke with you, I said everything was rather quiet, but this wasn't what I had in mind if you wanted to liven things up. Your publicist is probably thrilled. So, let's go over the story and I can see what we can get documented. I'll let you know what you legally can and cannot say."

Hercule was going over some cue cards when the flash of blue caught his eye at the top of the stairs. The world seemed to stop for him as he looked up to see Chichi, lovelier than he could ever remember her being. The staff still moved around quickly, as if he were the only one to see this beauty. He saw Madeline link her arms with the woman, speaking into her ear as they came down the steps. No doubt muttering words of encouragement. He squashed his own nervousness. He was used to this. On top of that, he was angry. He wanted to get out there and get this story straight. He looked to his publicist and his lawyer, "Are we ready to go?" At their nod, he reached out for Chichi, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her hand before he drew her against him tightly. "I promise that I'm going to make this right, Little Lady."

Chichi held onto his arm tightly, trying not to dig her nails into it. "I know you will," she said, squaring her shoulders and holding her head up proudly just the way Madeline had instructed her to. She'd told her not to hang her head, not to look intimidated because that would only portray her as guilty. And Chichi wasn't about to give these people an ounce of anything that they could twist. She remembered the way she used to be, unintimidated by anyone, not even the likes of Piccolo or Vegeta could rattle her. She tried to draw on that now, to remember some of her old confidence without letting it turn her into someone mean and hateful again.

"I'm ready," she said to Hercule and stepped outside with him to the flash of cameras and the immediate roar of the reporters as they hurled questions at him.

Hercule looked over the crowd as his lawyer took the microphone and did what he did best and quieted the crowd to a much more manageable roar. He did his best to not react when he picked out the one face he knew to be responsible for this entire mess. As he predicted, standing near the back, cool and calm, was Maxwell. There was a nasty smirk on his face. Hercule let his eyes dart around, looking for any sudden movements that might alert him to someone trying to get Chichi away from him, but saw nothing.

There were police there, holding back the crowd. His hand tightened on Chichi's. He could feel her trembling. He reached out and took the microphone from his lawyer and waited for the questions to come flying. But before that, he spoke loud and clear, his voice booming over the speakers. It was so easy to fall into his fighter's persona. "Great people of the world, all of my wonderful fans. I want you all to know that I am shocked and appalled at such accusations! I have helped to save this world, done everything in my power to help bring awareness to domestic abuse, it pains me to hear these terrible lies! This woman you see next to me is here of her own free will. I came to her in a time of need, when she was being beaten by someone who was supposed to love her. He had her locked, trapped in a room with no escape, with bolted windows. She has since filed for divorce, but her abusive husband has time and again refused to sign the papers. I want nothing more than this whole situation to be over so we can both live our lives in peace. You ask your questions, I'll answer them all. No lies!" he shouted before lowering the mike, listening to the roar around him. It was nearly deafening.

Chichi felt pride well up in her chest for Hercule, how calm he seemed to be as he addressed the crowd. He was definitely in his element here. Her eyes scanned the crowd and locked with Maxwell's. She felt her knees shake, but she kept her face from showing any reaction to him. She almost smirked at him as she drew comfort from Hercule's presence at her side. Maxwell wouldn't dare make a move to hurt her now. Not with all these people around, the media, the police, the guards from Hercule's home. She stroked her thumb against his forearm, hoping to return a bit of the comfort to him. She could barely catch any of the words being hurled at them, the reporters asking so many questions at once that all she could really hear was a dull roar of voices.

Finally one rang out, a clear question shouted and the rest of the reporters went quiet, waiting to hear Hercule's response. "Mr. Satan, as admirable as it is that you helped rescue her from an abusive situation, there are rumors that you two are romantically involved. Any truth to that? And if so, how do you justify sleeping with a married woman?"

Chichi felt her jaw tic at the obnoxious question. It shouldn't matter what a piece of paper said. In her heart, she was no longer married to Maxwell. Their marriage had been over for quite some time. She gripped Hercule's arm a little tighter, wishing they could just walk away, just go and hide together and ignore the world for awhile.

Hercule had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at that question. It was always about sex, wasn't it? He looked down at Chichi at his side, smiling at her warmly before he turned back to the reporter. Speaking confidently, he said, "It is true. After we realized that her husband has the money and influence around the city, we understood that there would not be any safer place for her to go while we waited for the divorce papers to be signed." He fixed the reporter with a look that had sent many of his opponents running for the door. "Are you saying that it's wrong for any woman who wants out of their marriage, an abusive marriage, that they can't seek a healthier relationship because some scrap of paper binds her to a man who would rather beat her within an inch of her life?"

"But lots of women have tried to catch your attention over the years, Mr. Satan," another reporter called out. "What's so special about this one? Are you worried that this is all some elaborate scheme to get at your wealth?"

"Her current 'husband' has enough wealth to almost buy out Capsule Corp if he wanted to, so no, I don't think this is an elaborate scheme. If it were, he would stop dicking around and sign the damn divorce papers, now wouldn't he?" He looked at Chichi as he thought over the other question. "She's not a fan. As much as I love my fans, I could never love them more than that because that's just what they are. Fans. They have no idea what my private life is like and I doubt they would care to take the time to get to know. They want their fifteen minutes with me and that's all. I've found this wonderful woman who wants more than that."

Chichi's heart swelled to hear him speak publicly about her like that. She hadn't expected to feel butterflies during this ordeal, but there they were, stronger than ever, and she couldn't help but to smile warmly at him as he spoke. But her stomach swooped painfully the next moment when another question rang out loud and clear, directed at her.

"Miss! Are you really pregnant with Mr. Satan's child? Or are you unsure at this point who the father is?"

Chichi felt her face turn pink but she managed to keep her composure. She hadn't expected to have to speak, but now it seemed she didn't have a choice. She gave a smile as if the question amused her. "Well I certainly don't know where that rumor came from," she answered, amazed at the evenness of her own voice. "I'm afraid I'm a bit past child-bearing years. I can assure you, we are not expecting a child. At this point in our lives, we'd be more prone to expecting grandchildren!" She nearly sighed in relief as her little quip drew a few chuckles from the crowd of reporters.

"But Mrs. Barnes, if your husband really was so violent and abusive, why are there no police reports to back up your claim? Why haven't you tried to leave before? Why sit around and take the abuse?"

Hercule nearly growled at that but kept his calm. "Are you this ignorant all the time or is this just a special occasion? If you even had the slightest idea about what domestic abuse can do to someone you will know that the woman is not just physically abused, but mentally as well. Being led to believe that she somehow deserves her 'punishment,' her bruises. It's men like you who are holding us back on abolishing this terrible act."

Chichi laid her other hand on Hercule's arm to calm his temper. She could appreciate that he was protective of her, but she felt she had to answer, to speak out for the first time. She waited for him to draw a breath and calm just a bit before she spoke. "Fear," she answered simply. "Fear kept me from leaving. When you're in a situation such as I was, it's not just the physical pain that keeps you there. It's the worry about where you will go, how people will see you, how will you take care of yourself? I'm lucky in the fact that I didn't have children to consider in my situation. But there are women out there every day who face the same situation that I was in. Abuse isn't just physical, like Hercule said. It's mental. It's emotional. And it can be so subtle that you don't even realize it's abuse. Taking the first step is extremely hard." She paused and swallowed, not sure where her words were coming from, but she felt they needed to be said. "And to anyone who may be watching this who is in the same situation I was in, I urge you to seek help. The lies he's feeding you aren't true. You are strong. You can make it on your own. You don't deserve it. Whatever he may be telling you, don't believe it. You can do better."

Hercule couldn't stop the pride that curled around his chest at hearing her speak so passionately to the cameras. He made me mental note to bring her along the next time he went to visit the shelters. He squeezed her hand, before he looked back over the crowd. "As for why there are not police reports, that would be due to the fact that her abusive husband, Maxwell Barnes, has his hands in quite a few pockets around the city. Amazing what can go missing at a police station or an attorney's office when you drop money here and there." He locked eyes with Maxwell again, the scathing look he was getting told him he hit the nail on the head. That would make business for him interesting.

Chichi felt a cold thrill shoot through her body to hear Hercule call Maxwell out by name. While it was obvious that the press knew who her husband was, it was different for Hercule to say his name aloud like that. That was likely only going to make Maxwell even angrier. She hoped they wouldn't regret that later. Still, it was almost amusing to see the way Maxwell's face went so red, the pure hatred she could see on his face, and the frustration that he couldn't do anything in that moment.

Another reporter pushed her way to the front of the crowd, looking up at them with a critical eye. "So is this really a romance or is this just a publicity scheme to further your work with domestic violence?" she asked with a little knowing smirk. "Or do you think the mighty Hercule Satan has finally found the one?"

Hercule smiled at the reporter before he looked down at Chichi, turning her to face him. He spoke only to her, but the microphone picked up his voice. He looked into her dark eyes, reaching up and brushed a strand of her silky hair behind her ear. She was beyond amazing to him in that moment and he knew that he was going to hold onto her for as long as he was able. "I hope sure hope you are the one, Little lady. I'll fight for you," he said before he reached down and tilted her chin up and kissed her soundly, ignoring everything around them.

Chichi felt her heart melt as he kissed her in front of the whole world, her eyes fluttering shut and a long, dreamy sigh escaped through her nose as she kissed him back. She could hear the snaps of cameras and see their flashes even through closed eyes, but she didn't care. In that moment, all that existed was Hercule. She felt the blush on her cheeks when he finally pulled back, but for once she didn't care. She just smiled happily at him and slipped her hand back into the crook of his arm.

Hercule finally waved his hand at the crowd, looking to his lawyer and nodded before he turned Chichi around, guiding her back into the quiet of the house. He nearly laughed when he saw his employees clapping for them as they came inside.

Madeline just shook her head. "What a scandal. You sure know how to turn tables." She peered out the doors as the lawyers stayed outside to answer any more questions the ravenous news members wanted to know. She shook her head and came back inside. "Come on, the rest of us have made the back of the house and part of the garden a fortress. Put up a tent outside if you wanted to get some fresh air and relocated the dining hall temporarily to a room with no windows. That'll get you two lovebirds some privacy."

Chichi blushed and gave a little smile. "Thanks, Madeline," she said quietly, still clinging to Hercule's arm. She just didn't want to let go of him quite yet. She smiled as he led her out to the back garden and they moved to enter the tent there, a big airy space with lots of plush cushions laid out on the ground. They could still see a good part of the garden which was coming into bloom again. She turned to look at him as she sat down, biting her lip nervously. "Do you think I did okay?" she asked, her nervousness returning full force. "I don't know what came over me. I just had to say something."

Hercule grinned and sat next to her, pulling her into his lap as he buried his face into her neck, sighing against her soft skin. "You did amazing, I might have to bring you with me the next time I visit the shelters. Those women there would be able to connect with you in a way I never can," he said happily. He held her tightly for a moment. "Hope you didn't mind the kiss, I couldn't help myself. You were just so amazing through the whole thing."

"Mind? I love that you kissed me in front of all of them," she said and cupped his cheek, turning his face to her so she could kiss him again. "I don't know about being in the public spotlight. I don't think I cared much for that. But if you really want me to go to the shelters with you, I guess I could do that." She thought she understood now why Goku didn't want to claim his victory over Cell, why he didn't want Gohan in that spotlight. She was grateful now that he'd made that choice. That wasn't the life she wanted for her oldest son now that she'd seen firsthand what it was like. "Did you see Maxwell there? He's furious."

Hercule nodded at her, leaning back as he looked at her, brushing her hair over her shoulders, cupping her cheek. "He made a big mistake today, challenging me like that. My employees don't like to see me in the papers like that because they have a better idea of who I really am. This really gave us an opportunity to really bring out his flaws more than ours. Hopefully now he will sign those divorce papers. A few weeks of hounding from the press and my fans might change his tune." He smiled and waved at the cook who came in with a few others, pushing a cart covered in heated trays and plates, "Hey Simon, what do you have there?"

The cook laughed and looked behind him to make sure his helpers brought out coffee, tea and juice. "I don't know about you, but it's well past your breakfast time and you didn't get to eat. You had to deal with that shit storm. Can't believe the nerve of those guys." He shook his head. "Made you guys a breakfast for lunch kind of deal, so dig in."

Chichi's eyes lit up as the platters of food were set down for them and the staff returned to the house. "Wow, brunch in the garden, just the two of us? Seeing you publicly declare your love for me? I wish Maxwell would stir up problems more often if this is how my day turns out," she joked as she picked up a fresh cinnamon roll and bit into it. "Mmmmm. So good," she moaned before she looked at Hercule and giggled at the look he gave her. "What?"

Hercule grinned at her. "Come on now, you can't be moaning like that. It makes me want to forget about breakfast and just have my way with you on these cushions," he teased her before he wrapped his arms around her, peering at the food over her shoulder. The cinnamon roll smelled fantastic. None of that pillsbury in a can, these were made fresh, still hot out of the oven. "Mmm, you would probably taste really good with that cinnamon on you."

She smiled and leaned into him, holding up the cinnamon roll to let him take a bite. "You can have anything you want from me," she said quietly and wiggled in his lap a bit. "I love you more than anything in this entire world, Mark. I've never been so happy before. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you." She nuzzled into his chest, feeling so relieved to still be at his side after what had happened that morning and the night before. "Are you sure I'm worth the trouble, though? Seems I've been causing more than my share the past few days," she chuckled.

Hercule felt his chest warming, a strong feeling of love and companionship curling around his heart for this woman. He threaded his fingers through her hair, leaning down and kissing her tenderly. "The best things are the ones you have to really work for," he said, brushing his thumb over her cheek, "I meant what I said out there, you know." He kissed her softly. "I really hope you are the one. I want to wake up to you every morning, go to sleep with you at night and everything in between. I love you so much, I think I could give up this life just for you and be happy anywhere."

Chichi dropped her cinnamon roll, her eyes wide as she looked at him. "Oh Mark, you mean that?" she gasped, her heart hammering in her chest. She thought she could cry from happiness. "I don't want anyone but you. I don't care how rich or how poor we were, as long as I was beside you, I would be happy. I don't need money or anything fancy. I just need you." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. "I love you so much."

He smiled against her, suddenly wishing he had something more elaborate planned. But sometimes the best things were the ones you didn't expect. He looked down at the ring he wore, his world championship ring he barely took off. He took it off now, rubbing Chichi's back as he held it out to her. "They say third time's the charm." His heart was pounding, his stomach full of butterflies. He wondered at the symbology of offering her that specific ring, that should she ask him he would end his career to follow her. It would hurt, but for her he would do it. "Marry me?"

Chichi couldn't believe what he was offering to her. "Mark," she breathed, looking at the large ring in his hand. It would be far too big for her, but she'd wear it anyway. She tore her eyes away from it and looked up at him, staring into his warm blue eyes. "Yes," she whispered. She found her voice again as her excitement overwhelmed her. "YES!" she cried and flung her arms around his neck again, kissing him fiercely. She couldn't believe the contentment, the warmth, the love she felt for him as it curled around her heart, filling her chest to the bursting point. She'd never been so happy in all her life. "You are so amazing," she murmured against his lips. She carefully took the ring from his hand and slipped it onto her own finger, frowning a bit when it tried to slip back off. "I'm sure Madeline can help me find a way to wear it without it falling off," she said with a little laugh.

Hercule chuckled. "I'm sure if there is a way she will find it," he said as he tucked Chichi close to his side and reached for a plate, lifting the covers off of the steaming dishes and started filling his plate. He winked at her. "Soon as I get my energy back, I'll see what I can do about that icing," he said and slipped a free arm around her, holding her close. He couldn't believe how lucky he had gotten. "You are wonderful."

Chichi smiled and snuggled into his side, picking a bite from his plate and wrinkling her nose playfully at him as she popped it in her mouth. "You're the one who's wonderful. You've accepted me for who I am, the only person who's looked beyond my past to see who I am now. I'm the luckiest woman in the world."

"We all deserve second chances. I'd like to think I'm helping end that curse of yours. Though, you know I think curses only have power if you believe in them," he said as he cut up his sausage before offering her a piece before he ate his own. He sighed happily at the taste. "We will have to go out to celebrate, now that we can. Well, as soon as the press goes away."

"Or we could celebrate right here," she said, leaning up to nip at his jaw. She giggled and ran her hand over his chest, sighing at the feel of his strong muscles under her palm. "You are so handsome. I think I could spend the whole day here in this tent, just worshiping you." She kissed and licked at his neck, moving up to suck at his ear. "Now that I know you're mine, I don't know if I'll be able to keep my hands off of you."

Hercule couldn't stop the moan that escaped his lips or the throb as his cock hardened. He pushed his plate back and with a laugh, he picked Chichi up and playfully tossed her back into the plush cushions and went after her, pushing her long hair off her shoulders before he sealed his lips on her neck.

Chichi moaned at the feel of his hot mouth on her skin, his hard body on top of hers. "Yessss," she purred as she reached under her skirt and shimmied out of her underwear, tossing them carelessly aside. She kissed back at his neck, her fingers working his belt loose. "Take me like this," she begged. "Right here. I don't even care if anyone sees us this time. I want you. I love you. I can't wait to be your wife."

Hercule groaned against her, feeling her hands wrapping around his length as it sprang free. He gasped and pulled back from her, a grin on his face. "You naughty girl," he purred before he slipped a hand under her, moaning at the tight heat he felt as he traced her lips, teasing her opening. "You are so wet for me already," he moaned and lifted her up as he bent over her, pressing into her. He groaned as her body clenched at him, pulling him deeper into her heat. "Gods yes, Chichi."

A sharp moan escaped her throat as she was suddenly filled by his thick length. "Oh wow, baby," she gasped and rocked her hips up to meet his. She loved this, being so in love with this incredible man who loved her in return, who went out of his way to take care of her in every way possible. So crazy in love with each other and wanting each other so much that they didn't even take the time to undress properly for making love, doing it right there in the garden in the mid-morning light. "It's all your influence," she teased back as she clenched down hard on him, moaning loudly at the sensation. "You made me this way."

He chuckled as he grunted against her as he became fully seated inside of her. "Gods, you are just perfect, so perfect. It's exhilarating isn't it? To think someone might come out here and see us like this, to see you impaled so deeply by my cock and we don't care." He kissed her, withdrawing from her body only to thrust back into that perfect heat.

Chichi screamed out as he slammed back into her body, making her ache inside. "Oh gods yes! I… I don't care. I want them to see us. To see that you're mine, only mine. They can watch all they want, and they can't have you. And no one can have me. I'm yours," she cried out before she moaned again, wrapping her legs around his waist, letting him get deep inside her. "You're so big. All those female fans of yours would be so jealous."

Hercule smiled against her. "Jealous of your beauty. Jealous that I only have eyes for you." He moaned against her, leaning down to nuzzle at the exposed v of her chest. Gods, he could just lose himself for days in her creamy skin. "I love your skin the most, I think. So soft. So perfect. I just want to spend a day kissing you all over, buried in you."

Her breath caught in her chest as he hit that sensitive spot deep within her, making stars burst in her vision. "I'm coming," she gasped out, her voice high-pitched and needful. "I'm so close. Harder, baby. Please. Please!" Her whole body tensed as he complied, driving his cock harder into her core, his pace quickening. "Oh gods, MARK!" she screamed out his name as she climaxed, her every nerve on fire as pure bliss erupted through her system.

Hercule couldn't control himself, hearing Chichi plead for him, he pounded into her body without reservation, stars erupting in front of his eyes as she came, squeezing her muscles around him so tightly, he was coming a moment later. His cock pulsed as he spilled a hot torrent of cum into her willing body. "Gods yes, baby," he moaned against her as he finally stilled, holding himself above her as he caught his breath.

Chichi smiled up at him, cupping his face in her hands. She loved the expression on his face as he came, so intense, so into the moment. She lifted herself up to gently kiss his lips before she laid back on the plush cushions beneath her. "I don't care what anyone else thinks. This is my fairytale," she whispered, running her thumb over his cheekbone.


End file.
